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Taking advantage of the desert sun,
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| Let the sun shine: Super Suds Car Wash at 1040 W. 4th St., has gone solar, evidenced by the solar panels on the facility's roof. (Thelma Grimes/photo.) |
Xpress Lube car wash goes solar
Thelma Grimes/San Pedro Valley News-Sun
The sun shines more than 300 days a year in Arizona, and while some might say that just means it's hot in the desert, others are taking advantage of the natural resource and saving money.
The San Pedro Valley is quickly becoming a leader in solar energy with some projects coming online and others already completed.
One of those projects can be seen at the local car wash on west 4th Street. Xpress Lube owners Terry and Denise Celentano took advantage of some federal grant funding and the rebates offered by Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Power Cooperative (SSVEC) to make their business solar.
Terry Celentano said he researched the project, and now is proud to say his carwash is 100 percent powered by solar energy.
"My idea here is that I am not going to have an electric bill. I wanted a system built that would meet my entire electrical needs," he said.
Chris Schmidt was the man hired to make Celentano's goal a reality. Schmidt, of Desert Solar Items, said it took about 10 days to install about 90 panels on the roof of the car wash.
Schmidt said this is the first business in Benson to become solar powered.
"A lot of businesses aren't aware that there is federal grant money and rebates from SSVEC to make this possible," Schmidt said. "Terry basically has his own power plant here. He's getting everything from the sun right here and will be getting the same amount of electricity. It's a lifetime, low-cost deal here."
Schmidt said there are so many incentives for residents and business owners to start considering the use of solar energy, noting that the sun shines year-round.
Schmidt said he would also like to see more people take advantage of solar power because eventually that could also mean the United States becoming less dependent on foreign oil.
Kevin Rasch also toured the new solar power system at the car wash, saying he was pleased with what the Celentanos had accomplished.
Rasch, a Benson resident, announced last February that he would be building a solar energy park in Benson.
With land being cleared on Aviation Drive near the Benson Municipal Airport, Rasch has said he'd like to develop the 200-acre parcel to sell solar energy products.
Besides capitalizing on the Arizona sun, Rasch has said the goal of the project is to create more jobs in the Benson area.
Looking at the car wash project, Rasch said he is glad a local Benson owner is taking advantage of the concept.
"This is terrific, it's exactly the kind of thing we need to be having here," he said.
The San Pedro Valley also had its first green house built earlier this year. Glenn Shriman, of Sun Savvy Homes, built a green home off Rabbit Trail Road in St. David.
Shriman, who started construction on the house last spring, said this isn't the only home in the valley to promote energy efficiency, but it is the first to have all aspects of building a completely green home. From the 6,000-watt solar panels outside the back door to the solar thermal hot water and radiant heat systems.
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Dem.-District 8, continues to push solar power. C.J. Karamargin, a spokesman for Giffords office, said last week they are pleased to hear about such projects happening in the Arizona communities.
Karamargin said Giffords is continuing to work at the federal level to push energy efficiency.
In a recent session, Giffords introduced the Solar Technology Roadmap Act.
Approved by the House of Representatives, the bill is touted as bipartisan legislation to boost federal research for the development of solar energy technology. It was approved in the house 310-106, with 247 Democrats voting yes along with 63 Republicans.
"Our ability to harness the power of the sun and put it to work for us depends on technology," Giffords said. "Improving this technology means increasing the amazing potential of solar energy to meeting our energy needs. This is what the bill is about. It will advance solar research and help move critical new technologies out of the laboratories and into our homes and businesses."
The bill, co-sponsored by 32 legislators, had backing from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Solar Energy Industries Association, BP Solar, IBM, and National Semiconductor.
Thelma Grimes/San Pedro Valley News-Sun
The sun shines more than 300 days a year in Arizona, and while some might say that just means it's hot in the desert, others are taking advantage of the natural resource and saving money.
The San Pedro Valley is quickly becoming a leader in solar energy with some projects coming online and others already completed.
One of those projects can be seen at the local car wash on west 4th Street. Xpress Lube owners Terry and Denise Celentano took advantage of some federal grant funding and the rebates offered by Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Power Cooperative (SSVEC) to make their business solar.
Terry Celentano said he researched the project, and now is proud to say his carwash is 100 percent powered by solar energy.
"My idea here is that I am not going to have an electric bill. I wanted a system built that would meet my entire electrical needs," he said.
Chris Schmidt was the man hired to make Celentano's goal a reality. Schmidt, of Desert Solar Items, said it took about 10 days to install about 90 panels on the roof of the car wash.
Schmidt said this is the first business in Benson to become solar powered.
"A lot of businesses aren't aware that there is federal grant money and rebates from SSVEC to make this possible," Schmidt said. "Terry basically has his own power plant here. He's getting everything from the sun right here and will be getting the same amount of electricity. It's a lifetime, low-cost deal here."
Schmidt said there are so many incentives for residents and business owners to start considering the use of solar energy, noting that the sun shines year-round.
Schmidt said he would also like to see more people take advantage of solar power because eventually that could also mean the United States becoming less dependent on foreign oil.
Kevin Rasch also toured the new solar power system at the car wash, saying he was pleased with what the Celentanos had accomplished.
Rasch, a Benson resident, announced last February that he would be building a solar energy park in Benson.
With land being cleared on Aviation Drive near the Benson Municipal Airport, Rasch has said he'd like to develop the 200-acre parcel to sell solar energy products.
Besides capitalizing on the Arizona sun, Rasch has said the goal of the project is to create more jobs in the Benson area.
Looking at the car wash project, Rasch said he is glad a local Benson owner is taking advantage of the concept.
"This is terrific, it's exactly the kind of thing we need to be having here," he said.
The San Pedro Valley also had its first green house built earlier this year. Glenn Shriman, of Sun Savvy Homes, built a green home off Rabbit Trail Road in St. David.
Shriman, who started construction on the house last spring, said this isn't the only home in the valley to promote energy efficiency, but it is the first to have all aspects of building a completely green home. From the 6,000-watt solar panels outside the back door to the solar thermal hot water and radiant heat systems.
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Dem.-District 8, continues to push solar power. C.J. Karamargin, a spokesman for Giffords office, said last week they are pleased to hear about such projects happening in the Arizona communities.
Karamargin said Giffords is continuing to work at the federal level to push energy efficiency.
In a recent session, Giffords introduced the Solar Technology Roadmap Act.
Approved by the House of Representatives, the bill is touted as bipartisan legislation to boost federal research for the development of solar energy technology. It was approved in the house 310-106, with 247 Democrats voting yes along with 63 Republicans.
"Our ability to harness the power of the sun and put it to work for us depends on technology," Giffords said. "Improving this technology means increasing the amazing potential of solar energy to meeting our energy needs. This is what the bill is about. It will advance solar research and help move critical new technologies out of the laboratories and into our homes and businesses."
The bill, co-sponsored by 32 legislators, had backing from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Solar Energy Industries Association, BP Solar, IBM, and National Semiconductor.
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The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of bensonnews-sun.com.
Celentanos wrote on Nov 25, 2009 3:57 PM:
" The Name of the "local carwash" is
Super Suds Carwash located at 1030 W. 4th ST. "
Super Suds Carwash located at 1030 W. 4th ST. "
Councilman David Lambert wrote on Nov 26, 2009 4:26 PM:
" It's great to see the use of the solar panels in Benson. I hope this is a first of many commercial, as well as residential applications. We need to think for the future and not for the moment.
Great job, Terry & Denise. The Super Suds Carwash will be a trend setter for our future. "
Great job, Terry & Denise. The Super Suds Carwash will be a trend setter for our future. "
FrankieLee wrote on Nov 26, 2009 8:45 PM:
" Hate to rain on your party here and I don't fault the car wash operator making a living and these comments aren't aimed at the operator specifically. But I'm a realist and someone has to ask; Federal grants and Power company rebates? Who's money is this? Whenever you hear words like grants and incentives be very suspicious of who's paying the bill. You can bet it's not coming out of the honorable Congresswoman from the 8th district personal bank account. This is another puff piece with all of the worn out Eco-Marxist propaganda about foreign oil dependency, saving the environment. Blah, blah, blah. Just to soften us up to the idea of taking money from one person, giving it to someone else, all for the common good. Take a dollar here and dollar there from the people and eventually the people will have nothing left. Then they have to sell their freedom for a few pieces of government gold. This is by design. I can't wait to hear people squeal when the bill for all of these neat little projects comes due. Of course that will be after the honorable Congresswoman from the 8th district gets re elected on her "See what we've done for you" platform. She votes party line everytime. She has a web site, look at her record. All of the most popular Progressive (Marxist) legislation. "Yea!" Not to mention the heavy regulation on personal liberty coming down the pike if these snake oil salesmen and women get their way. You aint' seen nothin yet folks! Cap and Trade. Copenhagen Treaty. All designed to limit freedom, control your life and take your money. Period. Read some aritcles from sources like American Thinker.com or do an online search of 'Lord Monckton' a British expert on the global climate change hoax and the Copenhagen Treaty in particular and it's intent. Of course the true believers and the profiteers will never open their eyes. It isn't about saving the planet and the Polar Bears. I could go into great detail but I will leave it up to you to do some of your own investigations. Do research on the various entities involved in these local projects. The bigger the "players" the more interesting the interconnections become. Most of these "Green" projects are being pushed by politicians, business owners and contractors who stand to make a lot of money by promoting this fraud of global climate change. Not that there is anything wrong with profit, don't get me wrong and I'm not pointing a finger at anyone in particular as being corrupt, at least not overtly. But these government projects are shell games and indicative a far larger problem that we face as a nation. These "Green" projects are largely funded by and will have to be subsidized with tax payer money in order to succeed. The only way these projects can prevail is by stifling competitiion through eliminating or over regulating petroleum based (inexpensive) power generation. Behind the banner (the hoax) of "climate change" and saving the planet. Jobs lost in legitimate industry to promote a financially unsustainable political agenda. Yielding jobs that will have to be partially or entirely funded by you, the tax payer. Citizens, by passively going along with this insidious agenda you participate in our demise as a free nation. It may not be apparent and many don't want to believe it, but this is another example of the massive corruption of government in pursuit of controlling your life, taking more of your money and destroying this nation, with business as a willing accomplice. Or with business being bullied by government into becoming an unwilling accomplice. Solar energy is cool. So is wind generated energy. It's not a bad thing to develop it as another source of energy. All I'm saying is; If you want it, pay for it out of your own pockets and let it compete legitimately for it's share of the energy market. Cochise County could really use an informed, objective, investigative reporter. "
cdg wrote on Nov 29, 2009 2:09 AM:
" Even with federal and state tax credits, the cost of installing sufficient "solar energy" panels to replace conventional electrical service is usually far more than any benefit that will be realized during the expected lifetime of the panels.
Furthermore, most buildings will not support the weight of the necessary panels without expensive reinforcements, making such a project beyond the financial capabilities of most people.
Given the cost of current technology, "solar energy" is little more than an environmentalist's pipe dream, and yet another expensive government subsidy for those who already have the means at the expense of those who do not. "
Furthermore, most buildings will not support the weight of the necessary panels without expensive reinforcements, making such a project beyond the financial capabilities of most people.
Given the cost of current technology, "solar energy" is little more than an environmentalist's pipe dream, and yet another expensive government subsidy for those who already have the means at the expense of those who do not. "
Phillip wrote on Dec 2, 2009 9:12 AM:
" FrankieLee takes a business installing solar panels and turns it into " this insidious agenda you participate in our demise as a free nation. " Wow. Demise of our free nation, just by installing solar panels!! I haven't seen such complicated mental gymnastics since the John Birch Society said flouride in our water supply was a communist plot to destroy the will of the American population.
I will support that business, and I will support Kevin Rash's efforts to supply jobs here with his new solar park. And I support our gov't and electric company supplying grants to help us, American citizens, become more self-sufficent and save money. That's the job of our governemnet, to make our lives better and to do collectively what we cannot do alone. "
I will support that business, and I will support Kevin Rash's efforts to supply jobs here with his new solar park. And I support our gov't and electric company supplying grants to help us, American citizens, become more self-sufficent and save money. That's the job of our governemnet, to make our lives better and to do collectively what we cannot do alone. "
Phillip Keuter wrote on Dec 2, 2009 9:58 PM:
" I am incredibly impressed with our local Kevin Rasch who is building a new Solar Park here to create more jobs in the Benson area. What a fantastic idea, and I wish him all the success possible!
We need the jobs. No denying that.
And what other possible prospects are there? None. Even newspapers are publishing articles informing us economists aren't expecting any new jobs to start showing up until 2012 or 2013.
Jobs aren't coming back. Employers have figured out that with the internet and good software, it is cheaper to let somebody else do their work in another country. India anyone?
The only hope is the development of new industries here. To make that happen, we need to the gov't to provide tax incentives and the favorable regulatory environment (read long term assurance) for capital to invest in the new industries. Some people, like a writer above, think any kind of gov't grant or gov't incentive is some klnd of Eco_Marxist propaganda, but others know they are a necessary ingredient for capital investment, which will create jobs.
What do we have to offer? Housing boom isn't coming back anytime soon. Solar power or Wind turbines anyone? What else is there that cheap labor markets can't already do cheaper? Has our own gov't even offered such tax incentives and even floated the idea of a favorable regulatory climate?
My Goodness, Germany is the number one producer and consumer of solar energy in the world, although China will surpass them soon. Why? Not because they havesooooo much sunshine, but because the gov't has provided incentives to make it happen.
We're idiots. People actually say things like: "Eliminate state income tax to attract jobs." And these are our state legislative leaders!!! If that was true, Nevada would have tons of jobs, and the last ten years would have created lots of jobs. Go look at the stats at the Buereau of Labor Statistics and click on "non-farm" jobs. You'll learn that private business did not add any new jobs the last decade. The same number of private company created jobs that existed a decade ago is the same number now. This after a true plethora of tax cuts - personal, business, capital gains, etc. That strategy does not work!! Time to put that idiocy to rest, and time to elect legislative leaders who know how to invest in the future.
I applaud Kevin Rasch for being a visionary and a pioneer, a man investing his own time, hard work, and capital in order to try and create some much needed jobs in our local community. I hope anybody reading this will help him succeed.
And no, FrankieLee, this is not some kind of Eco-Marxist-Cap and Trade- Copenhagen-Green-Polar Bear-Climate Change- Gabby Giffords plot to take away our freedom and steal our money. "
We need the jobs. No denying that.
And what other possible prospects are there? None. Even newspapers are publishing articles informing us economists aren't expecting any new jobs to start showing up until 2012 or 2013.
Jobs aren't coming back. Employers have figured out that with the internet and good software, it is cheaper to let somebody else do their work in another country. India anyone?
The only hope is the development of new industries here. To make that happen, we need to the gov't to provide tax incentives and the favorable regulatory environment (read long term assurance) for capital to invest in the new industries. Some people, like a writer above, think any kind of gov't grant or gov't incentive is some klnd of Eco_Marxist propaganda, but others know they are a necessary ingredient for capital investment, which will create jobs.
What do we have to offer? Housing boom isn't coming back anytime soon. Solar power or Wind turbines anyone? What else is there that cheap labor markets can't already do cheaper? Has our own gov't even offered such tax incentives and even floated the idea of a favorable regulatory climate?
My Goodness, Germany is the number one producer and consumer of solar energy in the world, although China will surpass them soon. Why? Not because they havesooooo much sunshine, but because the gov't has provided incentives to make it happen.
We're idiots. People actually say things like: "Eliminate state income tax to attract jobs." And these are our state legislative leaders!!! If that was true, Nevada would have tons of jobs, and the last ten years would have created lots of jobs. Go look at the stats at the Buereau of Labor Statistics and click on "non-farm" jobs. You'll learn that private business did not add any new jobs the last decade. The same number of private company created jobs that existed a decade ago is the same number now. This after a true plethora of tax cuts - personal, business, capital gains, etc. That strategy does not work!! Time to put that idiocy to rest, and time to elect legislative leaders who know how to invest in the future.
I applaud Kevin Rasch for being a visionary and a pioneer, a man investing his own time, hard work, and capital in order to try and create some much needed jobs in our local community. I hope anybody reading this will help him succeed.
And no, FrankieLee, this is not some kind of Eco-Marxist-Cap and Trade- Copenhagen-Green-Polar Bear-Climate Change- Gabby Giffords plot to take away our freedom and steal our money. "
letting it shine wrote on Nov 25, 2009 2:36 PM: