Arizona in the running for up to 34 German solar projects

Arizona could be in line for as many as three dozen solar energy projects and facilities from Germany. But California, New Mexico, Oregon and other states also are in the fray as competition heats up for solar and other alternative energy projects.

At an international trade event in Scottsdale on Tuesday, Greater Phoenix Economic Council CEO Barry Broome said 34 German solar companies are looking at potential U.S. sites for energy facilities, and Arizona is in the running for those projects.

Germany, Japan and, increasingly, China are major producers and innovators in the solar energy sector. All are looking at the U.S. for production, research and development, sales and other operations.

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New Mexico beat out Arizona and other states for a solar energy plant to be built by Germany-based Schott AG. New Mexico offered a set of incentives to lure the plant to Albuquerque.

Arizona Public Service Co. announced in February that it was partnering with Spain's Abengoa Solar Inc. for a large solar production center in Gila Bend.

GPEC, the Arizona Department of Commerce and the U.S. Commerce Department want to encourage more foreign investment in the state. They hosted an event to promote foreign direct investment Tuesday at the Scottsdale facility of Canadian biomedical company InNexus Biotechnology.

Approximately 64,000 Arizona jobs are with foreign-owned businesses, and the economic groups want to attract more as the domestic economy sputters.

Germany and Japan traditionally have been Arizona's largest foreign investors.