News
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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