When you subtract the initial cost and add up the benefits, installing a solar system was one of the best decisions you made last year.  Think of the health benefits to your budget and the planet if you had the forethought to install a solar energy system five, ten, or even twenty years ago.  Think of all the extra money you would have for food, clothing, mortgage payment, vacations, college, – whatever you need to ensure a long and healthy life.  And investing in solar will only get better because. . .

Yes, Virginia, the New Year started with yet another rate hike from the local utility in Oklahoma. If Santa came down the chimney, he probably ate all the cookies because he needs to store energy for the long winters at the North Pole. Those of us that depend on gas and electricity for our heating and cooling don’t have the same luxury. We don’t get free “cookies.”  Some of us may even toss our cookies when we get our utility bills after the blizzard of 2009.

If you haven’t received a rate increase where you live, chances are, there is one in the works.  When you invest in a solar system, you own your own utility company.  Money you will pay to the utility company will be applied to a power system that uses free, non-polluting energy from the sun. All those utility rate hikes continue to enhance the value of your solar energy investment.

Sun City Solar has been helping people in the Midwest and Mid South with solar energy applications since 1983. If you want to become a lean, mean energy consumption fighting machine, call one of the solar consultants at Sun City Solar. The professionals are well-versed in the technology, market trends and are ready, willing and able to answer your questions. Our solar experts will identify the best system under the sun to fit your needs. Stop by one of our showrooms today and learn how you, too, can be a part of the solution. Call 918-494-0886 today, and become energy fit for the future.

Sun City Solar would like to remind you that there are only two months left to take advantage of the solar tax credit for 2009. And to help encourage you to earn the tax credit and save the hard earned money you would otherwise spend on utility payouts, Sun City Solar has some red hot specials on solar room heaters, solar attic fans and solar hot water systems.  We are also offering a discount on solar energy (photovoltaic or PV) systems, which continues to be popular with those who want to invest in their own utility company. With all the incentives available to encourage Americans to take advantage of free solar energy, more and more people are making the decision to take advantage of the sun.

And, if you have a cabin or an RV, check out the new solar energy systems available on our website at SunCityEnergy.com.  Whatever your needs, Sun City Solar professionals are capable of tailoring a system that will fit your budget and energy requirements.

If you would like to learn more about these specials, call 866-407-0527 and a solar consultant will help customize a solar system for you.  And remember, Sun City Solar honors those that have served our country in the military with a $200 discount.

1. Americans have the right to put solar on their homes or businesses Restrictive covenants, onerous connection rules, and excessive permitting and inspections fees prevent many American homes and businesses from going solar.

2. Americans have the right to connect their solar energy system to the grid with uniform national standards. This should be as simple as connecting a telephone or appliance. No matter where they live, consumers should expect a single standard for connecting their system to the electric grid.

3. Americans have the right to Net Meter and be compensated at the very least with full retail electricity rates. When customers generate excess solar power utilities should pay them consumer at least the retail value of that power.

4. The solar industry has the right to a fair competitive environment. The highly profitable fossil fuel industries have received tens of billions of dollars for decades. The solar energy expects a fair playing field, especially since the American public overwhelmingly supports the development and use of solar.

5. The solar industry has the right to equal access to public lands. America has the best solar resources in the world, yet solar companies have zero access to public lands compared to the 45 million acres used by oil and natural gas companies.

6. The solar industry has the right to interconnect and build new transmission lines. When America updates its electric grid, it must connect the vast solar resources in the Southwest to population centers across the nation.

7. Americans have the right to buy solar electricity from their utility. Consumers have no choice to buy clean, reliable solar energy from their utilities instead of the dirty fossil fuels of the past.

8. Americans have the right, and should expect, the highest ethical treatment from the solar industry. Consumers should expect the solar energy industry to minimize its environmental impact, provide systems that work better than advertised, and communicate incentives clearly and accurately.

Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA)

ROBERT EVATT Tulsa World Staff Writer
Published: 10/2/2009

Fred and Rita Hansen get plenty of power from the sun — their Sand Springs home is wired for solar electricity and sports two solar water heaters.

Though it’s a hefty amount of solar equipment, it’s still not enough for the family.

“Wish I had room to put more,” Fred Hansen said.

Their home will be part of Saturday’s 2009 National Solar Tour, which invites people to see first-hand how local homes and businesses incorporate solar energy.

The tour, organized nationally by the American Solar Energy Society and locally by Sun City Solar Energy, is geared toward educating people about the options that are available and how they work, said Pamela Speraw, co-owner of Sun City.

“We want to get all of the United States, particularly the children, to get educated about solar,” she said.

Speraw said a lot of people still have misconceptions about solar power, especially its potential uses.

Fred Hansen said rising energy costs encouraged his family to investigate alternative energy sources three years ago.

“It was the direction the cost of electricity was heading, and the efficiency of solar cells has been improving,” he said.

Hansen said he was also motivated by tax credits for incorporating solar energy, which are still available.

While the efficiency of the solar equipment can vary depending on the weather, Hansen estimates that solar power cuts his energy bill in half when he’s not running the air conditioner or furnace, and by a third when he does.

His solar water heaters, which heat the water by running liquid through solar panels on his roof, gets the water up to scalding temperatures and provides more hot water than his old system.

“I can turn on the washing machine, turn on the dishwasher, fill up the tub and still take a shower without running out now,” Hansen said.

Speraw said the Tulsa event will begin with a 30-minute seminar on various forms of solar power, followed by two separate tours focusing on either commercial or residential solar power.

2009 National Solar Tour

When: 10 a.m. Saturday

Where: Sun City Solar energy Showroom, 6709 e. 81st St., Suite G

What: Brief seminar followed by tours

Solar has come in and out of “fashion” over the past four decades, but 2009 will mark the year that solar became an accepted component of the United States mainstream energy use.  This is due to several issues:

• Tiered rate pricing including high electric taxes and fees
• High electric rate inflation
• Overall high solar gain in the US
• Federal (and some state and local) tax incentives
• Technological advances for increased efficiency
• The widespread use of fossil fuels resulting in global warming

On-going investments in solar energy and the support by local, state and federal government, as well as incentives of some utility providers, will continue to lower the cost and make solar a viable investment for many Americans.

Now is the time to take advantage of solar energy systems.  To find out more, visit our website at SunCitySolar.com, or call one of our solar consultants at 918-494-0886.

The grant system was developed to maintain the growth of the renewable energy sector during the economic downturn. A tax credit is of little value to renewable developers struggling to make a profit and therefore paying little or no income tax.

Solar equipment placed in service in 2009 also qualifies for a “depreciation bonus”. The owner can deduct half its depreciable basis in the equipment immediately. For business, solar subsidies are now worth 56%-58%.

Stay tuned for more details of the revised provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. For current information regarding your eligibility for grants and solar tax benefits visit SunCitySolarEnergy.com/solar-rebate/.

Stinchcomb said he is excited to be the first commercial licensed solar contractor in Arkansas. To qualify, applicants must have 5 years experience in solar energy installations. Due to owner Dwight Stinchcombs 8 years experience as a residential contractor and the hands on support of their distributor in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with 27 years experience in solar, the company was licensed.

Rising energy prices continue to take their toll on industries throughout the region. Stinchcomb stated, “This is an opportunity for commercial businesses to take immediate steps to reduce expenses and control their energy risks.”

Both residential and commercial customers can benefit from solar and help move our country toward energy independence. The Federal Tax Rebate of 30% plus the 5-year accelerated depreciation are additional reasons why many commercial companies are taking advantage of free energy from the sun.

For more information: contact John Gerrard at (479) 422-7037 or Visit website at SunCityEnergy.com.

BACKGROUND:
Sun City Solar Energy of the Ozarks (SCSE) is a Springdale company based in Arkansas, specializing in turn-key commercial and residential solar power, solar hot water and solar pool heaters. SCSE is owned by John Gerrard and Dwight Stinchcomb. They are an area dealer for Sun City Tulsa which has been in the solar energy business since 1983 and is this regions largest solar energy provider.

The federal government is offering a 30-percent tax credit on solar panels. Some states are even willing to pay half the cost. And, right here at home, in Denton, Texas,  Encore energy offers $2.46 per watt on your electric system for going green.

Earth Day is about caring for the environment and maximizing its resources in a responsible way.

Federally, President Obama has made that one of his many missions.

“The bulk of our efforts must focus on unleashing a new, clean energy economy that will begin to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, cut our carbon pollution by about 80 percent by 2050, and create millions of new jobs right here in America,” President Obama, stated to the media on Earth Day.

Locally, Sun City Solar Energy, in Grayson County, has a similar plan.

The whole idea of it is to offset your energy consumption,” says Richard Ayala, of Sun City Solar Energy.

The family-owned business is new to Sherman, but not to the Sooner or Lone Star state. It offers solar power electricity, hot water heaters and pools. The solar panels can power up signs and spin the blades on fans.

The solar panels can also increase the value of your home. Think of it this way, an investment of a few thousand dollars now, could save you thousands more down the line.

For more information on solar panels, click here

By AMBER NEVILLE

Seth Christ seen here with one of his latest installments.

Toomey Oil and Gas has purchased this double-sided solar electric array. Double-sided panels like this can increase the amount of energy produced by single-sided panels by 30%. On this snowy March day, the array seen in the background was running and produced enough power to run all the lights in the building.

DANIEL C. CAMERON for GTR Newspapers

Editor’s Note: Tulsa-area leadership has been working hard over the past few years to keep young professional talent in the region. One organization that has been very effective in keeping young talent local is Tulsa Young Professionals, known by its acronym “TYPros.” This is the third of the GTR Newspapers monthly series spotlighting young Tulsa leadership. Greater Tulsa is fortunate to have young talent contributing to its betterment.

“Green living” may be the latest trend to some and is certainly one of the more buzz-worthy topics in the news today. More and more businesses and people are seeking “alternative” and/or “sustainable” ways to operate their businesses and homes, but Sun City Solar Energy has been available to Tulsa for some time.

This edition’s featured young professional is Seth Christ, the Energy Consultant and System Designer for Sun City Solar Energy. Christ is a member of TYPros and serves on the TYPros Sustainability Crew, one of the most active groups in the organization.

Sun City Solar Energy, a locally owned and operated company in Tulsa, has been providing residential and commercial solar energy products and services for over 20 years. In fact, Sun City Solar Energy currently has five operations in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas with more to open, according to Christ.

Christ has two main roles as the Tulsa office energy consultant and designer. First: Meet with the customer to assess their alternative energy objectives by providing them with a projected cost-savings plan based on the type of product(s) to be used. Second: Design the actual solar energy system around the customer’s objectives using electrical calculations based on code-compliant systems. Another key part of Christ’s role as energy consultant is to research and understand current tax incentives for customers who use alternative energy products and solutions.

Sun City Solar Energy currently has numerous residential projects underway as well as a commercial project installation at Toomey Oil and Gas, located in downtown Tulsa. In March 2008, Keener Oil and Gas, located at 16th Street and Boston Avenue in Tulsa, installed solar panels on the south side of their roof. Dewey F. Bartlett, president of Keener Oil and Gas, wanted to see a cost-savings on their electricity bill with a tie-in to the grid-connected system which receives back-up power from the utility company. With a grid-tie system, when the Solar Power System produces excess power, the utility company purchases the power from the solar panel system customer through a net metering and rate arrangement. Bartlett reports, “Over the past 12 months, I have seen my average monthly utility bill has decreased by 30 percent due to the solar panel system roof installation.”

In December 2007, Oklahoma experienced one of its most devastating winter-weather storms ever. The storm caused power outages for over hundreds of thousands of energy-dependent customers across the state. As customers began to understand their need for alternative mechanisms of power, they sought generators. For Sun City Solar Energy, their business filled a need and began offering continuous back-up generators that automatically switch over after a power outage using a transfer switch.

So how does solar energy compare to wind energy today? Christ says, “Solar energy panels warrant usage up to 20 years versus wind energy turbines that only warrant their product up to five years. More than likely people investing in alternative energy sources want the product to last without constant purchases for the product to keep being effective. Currently, wind power just doesn’t offer that longevity.”

Sun City Solar Energy also offers free educational seminars to anyone interested in learning more about their products and services at their corporate office in Tulsa and all of their locations.. To find out more information about Sun City Solar Energy and/or their products, visit their Web site www.SunCityEnergy.com or contact their office directly at (918) 494-0886.

About TYPros

The Tulsa Young Professionals, or “TYPros,” is a group of diverse young professionals, whose typical ages range from 21- 40, working together to showcase Tulsa as a cool place to live, work and play. The mission of TYPros is to retain and attract young talent, while focusing on fostering the next generation of leadership. Membership is free. TYPros provides its members with opportunities to get in front of and build relationships with local community and business leaders. For more information or to become a member, visit www.typros.org.

Do we now have the will as Americans to make the changes needed to become energy independent? Solar is a clean, inexhaustible source of energy that can easily be incorporated into our national conscious.

What does Solar Energy Say to You?

There are still those who look at solar applications and think they detract from the architecture of their home or neighborhood. But solar panels look like sky lights, and to some are like shiny diamonds on the roof. They take the light energy from the sun and make it into something useful. There are thousands of solar customers like George Jeong of Oklahoma City.

The Jeong family is saving 60% on their utility bills, and could not be happier. The solar panels on their roof are not only putting money back in their pockets everyday, but they have a sense of pride knowing they are part of the move towards energy independence.

Beauty is Not Just “Skin Deep”

Next time you see a solar application, stop and think about the beauty in all of the positive elements that are shining down upon us. Solar is helping us become cleaner, greener and free from dependence on foreign oil.

Don’t be fooled by low energy prices. The utilities continue to ask for rate hikes, and the days of cheap energy are a thing of the past. Visit your local Sun City dealer today, and help yourself and our country to a brighter energy future. SunCityEnergy.com