Energy-Arizona^1.4

http://www.explorernews.com/article/show/19929

Nick Smith
September 19, 2007

All the new technologies required to "go green" almost require a crash course in environmental science.

That's what brought Charles Miller, an Oro Valley resident, to the Alternative Energy Expo, the largest such event of its kind in Arizona.

"I just want to learn more about solar (power)," Miller said last week. "I don't have any particular application (for it at the) present, but I just wanted to get the information and see what's going on."

Although not in the market for a new vehicle, Miller was looking at the half dozen or so cars on display at the Tucson Convention Center, which included Toyota's usual entry of hybrids, GM's foray into ethanol-powered vehicles and even a natural-gas-powered HUMMER, almost an anachronism at a fair devoted to fuel efficiency and conservation.

"The thing about this car is it will still kill someone," someone muttered about the green, four-wheel drive behemoth.

Miller is like most people. He may have an energy-saving light bulb here or there, but most of this new wave of environmentally conscious marketing requires a bit of extra-curricular education.

Miller uses solar panels to heat his pool and lists their benefit as two-fold.

"One would be the cost, and two would be the availability of energy without having to use some other form of energy to heat water," he said.

Everything under the sun

Folks in Southern Arizona are beginning to learn to turn to the most abundant resource for their energy needs.

Last Wednesday, city officials dedicated a new solar array for the Thornydale Reclaimed Water Reservoir, near the corner of Thornydale and Tangerine roads, the largest municipally-owned array of its kind in the state.

The array's 252 movie-poster-sized panels will provide 74.5 kilowatts of power, enough to power 18 households.

The water plant delivers reclaimed water to golf courses in Dove Mountain and Oro Valley.

"The solar system is capable of powering one of the pumps as well as the control systems that we have here," said Tucson Water spokesperson Mitch Basefsky.

The $227,612 cost of the installation was lessened by a $75,000 donation from Trico Electric Cooperative, a Marana-based utility company. In time, the panels should pay for themselves.

"That's about a 30-year payback," Tucson Energy Manager Doug Crockett explained. "That's presuming that electric rates stay constant."

Part of the money used to pay for the panels came from the city's 1-percent solar fund, which sets aside money for the construction and maintenance of solar panels.

The area's ample sunshine, land and resources give Southern Arizona an advantage in the emerging solar industry, according to U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

"Studies have shown that, with the technological improvements that are to come, we can be exporting our power even to other states," said Giffords, who last week toured the Marana solar array.

Like many power companies, Trico's donation is part of a wider-reaching effort to subsidize conversions to solar power.

"We think it's important that it's part of the mix," said Trico CEO Mark Schwirtz. "There's all sorts of options on providing energy to our members, but solar needs to be a piece of that. We're doing everything we can to find ways to partner with people to minimize the cost."

The chief turn-off for solar panels and other so-called "green" solutions: the upfront purchase costs.

However, utility companies such as Trico and Tucson Electric Power, offer subsides for people who want to use solar power. Other power trends have included companies purchasing excess solar power from consumers as well as purchasing and maintaining panels themselves on customer's houses.

Arizona even offers a solar tax credit equal to 25 percent of solar device's cost.

It takes about $4,000 to install panels for water heating and $17,000 for solar electricity, said Jerry Samaniego, who owns Expert Solar Systems.

However, these prices have taken a dip since Samaniego got in the business 30 years ago.

"It has never been better than it is right now," he said. "People's attitudes have changed. Of course the environment and the necessities we have have certainly enlightened a lot of people in thinking to go green."

Two hybrids in every garage

The main culprit for rising levels in greenhouse gas emissions is also the most noticeable target for environmental-friendly innovations.

Oro Valley resident Charles Miller and others crowded the displays of what people might be driving in the near future, easily the most popular exhibit at the expo last week.

I'm particularly interested in the cars," Miller said. "I'm surprised to see this variety of cars at the show."

Alternative-fuel vehicles include hybrid, E85, natural gas, hydrogen, fuel cell and solar cars.

While many have yet to hit the market to wide appeal, many people already are familiar with hybrid cars.

The 2001 world-wide release of the Toyota Prius proved that there is interest in and a need for cars that run on more than just gasoline.

Every major car company now has some form of hybrid car or is looking to make one.

There are a number of reasons why alternative-fuel vehicles are becoming more popular, said Jack Smith, a fleet account executive for General Motors.

"I'm sure the cost of fuel, trying to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, impact on the environment," Smith said.

GM is trying to stake a claim on the E85 market - cars that use an 85-percent ethanol, 15-percent petrol mix - by rolling out 14 different models of the so-called "flex-fuel" cars, which can run on either E85 or standard gasoline.

Currently, there are five gas stations in the Tucson area that offer E85, including one in the Northwest at the corner of Ruthrauff Road and La Cholla Boulevard.

GM hopes to have 50 percent of all it's vehicles E85 compatible by 2012, Smith said.

Ethanol already is used in gasoline as a minor additive, but vehicles fueled in this manner represent a departure from ones fueled by oil.

Ethanol can be derived from many sources, such as corn, sugar and even grass.

However, ethanol may not be the manna from the energy gods as some claim.

The cost of extracting ethanol from corn is high and would impact the prices of vegetables and livestock.

Sugar also is an alternative, but the possibility of developing an addiction to foreign sugar also has been raised.

Whatever source energy may take in the coming years, it is clear that we are witnessing a sea change in the way people go about their daily lives.

The shopworn rumination, "I remember when gas cost a nickel" may soon become "I remember when sunlight cost a dollar."