Chris Trager & Rodney Ristow

Due to customer demand in Fort Smith, AR and Southwest Oklahoma, Sun City Solar Energy, LLC of Tulsa has expanded their dealer base to the Mid South region. The continued support for solar energy from the current administration, including the extension and expansion of the Federal tax credits, offers a unique opportunity to fill the Mid-South communities solar energy needs.

“The acceleration of new technologies, the need to diversify the country with sustainable alternatives to oil and gas, and the continuous improvement of our products and services supports the need for solar dealers in the area,” stated Pam Speraw, Director of Sun City Solar’s Business Development. “The addition of Fort Smith’s residents Chris Trager and Rodney Ristow to our family of solar dealers is an excellent fit for Sun City Solar.” When asked about opening another office considering the current business climate, Ms. Speraw explained that “The economic conditions have added fuel to the solar energy business. Chris Trager and Rodney Ristow along with the customers we serve in Oklahoma, Arkansas and North Texas, realize this is a perfect time to invest in owning your own utility company by using free energy from the sun.”

The public is invited to attend a free educational solar energy seminar on May 7^th at 6:30 p.m. at 110 Folsom Blvd., Pocola, Ok.

About Chris Trager

Mr. Trager is a Manager of the Mid-South dealership, and brings twenty years of experience in the construction business to the Sun City Solar family. Chris was most recently the Director of Business Development for SSI Incorporated of Fort Smith, and also has a background in construction supervision.

About Rodney Ristow

Mr. Ristow began his career in the US Navy as a Nuclear Engineer overseeing reactor maintenance on submarines. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Physics from the University of Idaho in Moscow. Rodney serves as Project Engineer and Manager for Kraft Foods in the Fort Smith manufacturing plant.

About Sun City Solar Energy, LLC

Sun City Solar Energy has been offering a variety of solar energy products to customers in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas since 1983. As solar energy specialists and professionals, Sun City is committed to meeting and exceeding customer expectations. SCSE installs the highest quality products, offers continuous dealer and customer support, and is focused on promoting cleaner, greener and energy independent communities for generations to come. For further information, visit SunCityEnergy.com or call Chris Trager at (918) 436-6115.

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

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.