In the spirit of Earth Day, we’re talking about going green. KTEN’s Jhen Kordela  says you can save money and reduce your energy production at the same time.

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

Meet the Next Generation  

By AMBER NEVILLE

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

“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.

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.

Sun City has two main roles at the Tulsa office energy consulting and designing 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  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.

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.

With the new administration, it seems renewable energy like wind, solar and biofuels are all the rage. Many of you may remember the energy crisis of the mid eighties, when energy efficient cars were crucial if you wanted to avoid hours waiting to fill your gas tank. Solar energy had state and federal support, and it seemed most people were committed to energy conservation. But when oil became plentiful, inflation decreased and energy prices stabilized, tax credits disappeared – and Americans went back to their old ways. Gas guzzling SUVs became popular, houses became bigger and most people quickly forgot the days when the bill for heating and cooling their home was nearly as high as their mortgage payment.

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