Flagstaff is taking another step to becoming green: 200 homes will be receiving solar arrays, 50 homes will be getting new furnaces, and six wind turbines will be placed/built on different properties in the northeast Flagstaff area.

Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) approved a $10.8 million Arizona Public Services (APS) pilot project on April 2. The project is officially underway as applications are being screened, approved and sent to the solar installers.

APS said they chose Flagstaff because of the city’s limited renewable resources and growth. APS will also be able to monitor Flagstaff a little more closely than they used to by tracking weather, equipment failure and customer usage.

“This will be targeted on the northeast side of Flagstaff,” said Stephanie Smith, sustainability specialist for the city of Flagstaff.

Doney Park and Timberline homeowners can still apply for 1.5-megawatt solar panel systems for their roofs. In the long run, people who participate in the project will have their electric bill cut in half and pay a community power rate, which can help cut costs tremendously.

APS has already approved about 100 homeowners out of the 180 who have applied, so there are about 100 spots left. So far, the first half-dozen have already been installed in the Doney Park area.

“The response [has] been very positive,” said Dan Wool, a media relations representative for APS.

This summer, APS began to send out letters and make phone calls to qualifying residents who live in the following areas: south Railhead Avenue, north Wupatki Trail, Koch Field east or Timberline Estates.

Residents will have to lease their roofs to install solar panels for electric generation, and homeowners will be stuck with these bills for the next 20 years. They will also have to maintain their homes as much as possible to save money on their bills. They will have to replace their furnaces, seal leaky ducts and replace things where gas could easily be wasted over time.

According to the city of Flagstaff, NAU was not originally asked to participate in the project. However, recently APS said NAU would be working with the city as this project concerns sustainability and changes to the power grid.

“The Flagstaff solar project will not only make Coconino County a leader in renewable [energy], it will build on Arizona’s reputation for supporting solar energy research and development,” said Chairman Kris Mayes. “This pilot will measure the impact of concentrating a number of solar systems in a given area and will likely prove that solar energy reduces the need for additional utility infrastructure, thus saving all ratepayers money over time.”

The ACC said the project would cost $410,000 per year, totaling $10.8 million. Wool said the installation of the solar panels alone usually costs $200,000, but this project is offered for free.

The funding for the pilot project will come from APS customers, not from private or federal funding. Though President Obama has promised the country billions of dollars in energy resources, Flagstaff will not see much of it, if any. APS is funding their own project.