Tucson, Arizona

===Energy===
Tucson's primary electrical power source is a natural gas power plant managed by [[Tucson Electric Power]] that is within the city limits on the southwestern boundary of Davis-Monthan Air-force base adjacent to Interstate 10. The air pollution generated has raised some concerns as the Sundt operating station has been online since 1962 and is exempt from many pollution standards and controls due to its age.<ref>{{cite web|last=Vanderpool|first=Tim|title=Polluting the Poor:TEP's southside coal plant keeps on pumping out noxious gases|url=http://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/polluting-the-poor/Content?oid=3596947|publisher=Tucson Weekly|access-date=December 27, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228013941/http://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/polluting-the-poor/Content?oid=3596947|archive-date=December 28, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Solar has been gaining ground in Tucson with its ideal over 300 days of sunshine climate. Federal, state, and even local utility credits and incentives have also enticed residents to equip homes with solar systems.
Davis-Monthan AFB has a 3.3 [[Megawatt]] (MW) ground-mounted [[solar photovoltaic]] (PV) array and a 2.7 MW rooftop-mounted PV array, both of which are in the Base Housing area. The base will soon have the largest solar-generating capacity in the [[United States Department of Defense]] after awarding a contract on September 10, 2010, to [[SunEdison]] to construct a 14.5 MW PV field on the northwestern side of the base.<ref>{{cite web |id=Release: 050910 |url=http://www.dm.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123222163 |title=D-M awards solar photovoltaic utility contract to SunEdison |publisher=Dm.af.mil |access-date=October 27, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929230631/http://www.dm.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123222163 |archive-date=September 29, 2011}}</ref>

[[Global Solar Energy]], which is at the University of Arizona's science and technology park, is one of the planet's largest [[Copper indium gallium selenide solar cells|CIGS]] solar fields at 750 kilowatts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://globalsolar.com/en/press/press-releases/77-global-solar-energy-opens-landmark-manufacturing-plant-sets-full-scale-production-capacity-records.html |title=Global Solar Energy Opens Landmark Manufacturing Plant, Sets Full-scale Production Capacity Records &#124; Global Solar Energy - POWER the Possibilities |website=globalsolar.com |access-date=January 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101020145116/http://globalsolar.com/en/press/press-releases/77-global-solar-energy-opens-landmark-manufacturing-plant-sets-full-scale-production-capacity-records.html |archive-date=October 20, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uatechpark.org/|title=Tech Parks Arizona-research park and business incubator|website=Uatechpark.org|access-date=July 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106111046/http://uatechpark.org/|archive-date=January 6, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

====Light pollution====
Tucson and Pima County adopted [[Dark-sky movement|dark sky]] ordinances to control [[light pollution]] in support of the region's astronomical [[observatory|observatories]] in 1972.<ref>{{cite web |title=Light Pollution – Tucson/Pima County, AZ |website=The Public Good |date=January 12, 2009 |url=http://www.ilsr.org/rule/light-pollution/2466-2/ |access-date=June 10, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130714040617/http://www.ilsr.org/rule/light-pollution/2466-2/ |archive-date=July 14, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  Last amended in 2012,<ref>{{cite web |title=Pima County approves changes to lighting ordinance |website=KVOA.com |date=March 13, 2012 |url=http://www.kvoa.com/news/pima-county-approves-changes-to-lighting-ordinance/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105113819/http://www.kvoa.com/news/pima-county-approves-changes-to-lighting-ordinance/ |archive-date=November 5, 2013}}</ref> the City of Tucson/Pima County Outdoor Lighting Code establishes maximum illumination levels, shielding requirements, and limits on signage in "continuing support of astronomical activity and minimizing wasted energy, while not compromising the safety, security, and well-being of persons engaged in outdoor nighttime activities."<ref>{{cite web |title=2012 City of Tucson/Pima County Outdoor Lighting Code |url=http://www.dsd.pima.gov/Building/Codes/OLC.pdf |publisher=Pima County Development Services |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014172124/http://www.dsd.pima.gov/Building/Codes/OLC.pdf |archive-date=October 14, 2013}}</ref>