Welcome to the Arizona Solar Challenge Tumblr! We're your source for the latest updates about our work to put solar on 5% of homes in your community by the year 2015. We'll regularly feature photos, news clips and profiles of Solar Ambassadors from across the state. Learn more at the Arizona SmartPower website.

Meet Jim Stack, a member of the Electric Vehicle Stakeholder Project and a proud owner of a Nissan LEAF:

“We drive our 100 percent electric Nissan LEAF almost everyday. My wife drives to work 12 miles each way, takes all her co-workers to lunch and never has to worry, since we have a 100-mile range. In fact, we just charge to 80 percent to increase battery life and still have miles to spare. A few times we have gone over 100 miles in a day on one charge!

We first got the car on March 17, 2011 (St Patrick’s day), and haven’t had to buy a drop of gas or oil since. We still love to ride our bicycles on short trips and also carpool whenever we can. It pays to be green.

We’ve also had a GRID-Tied Solar home since 2001. With our 4 Kw system and efficient home, we can power our house, car and still help the power utilitity with clean energy during peak hours.”

Below: Jim Stack and his wife attend a car auction in Arizona.