Washington, D.C.– Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today highlighted the $615 million Arizona has so far received through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as part of the law’s $90 billion investment in clean energy technology nationwide. A new, publicly available report released by the Department of Energy (DOE) details the many projects now underway across the state.

As part of an effort to restore the American economy and establish a forward-looking infrastructure, the Recovery Act has allocated money for green energy projects around the country. Clean energy investments improve U.S. economic competitiveness by supporting growth industries such as advanced battery manufacturing, solar energy and wind energy. Arizona has secured a substantial portion of this federal funding and is investing in a variety of job creation, energy savings and infrastructure improvement projects statewide.

Highlights include:

·         Fifty-two communities in Arizona received a total of $72.5 million in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants to develop, promote, implement, and manage local energy efficiency programs.

·         Twenty-two payments for renewable energy generation totaling $35 million, which include solar electricity, solar thermal, and wind projects.

·         A total of $225 million for energy efficiency projects.

·         $97 million to upgrade the electrical system with Smart Grid technology.

·         $101 million to develop a sustainable transportation sector.

“These are excellent investments in the state’s future, both economically and environmentally,” Grijalva said of the report’s findings. “We can’t sit on our hands when it comes to job growth opportunities in Arizona. Public-private partnerships and federal assistance are exactly what the current economic downturn calls for. That’s why Abengoa Solar is building the world’s largest solar power plant near Gila Bend, which wouldn’t have been possible without a federally guaranteed loan. Arizona needs smart, targeted investments in transportation, power generation and green manufacturing to be competitive in the new economy, and that’s what the Recovery Act is bringing.”