SUN SPLASHED VAN NUYS CARWASH'S SOLAR PANELS HELPING THE PLANET, CASH FLOW.

Byline: JULIA M. SCOTT Staff Writer

Saving the planet and making money don't often go hand in hand, but at Sean Shouhed's carwash in Van Nuys the two are perfect companions.

Shouhed spent $677,000 to install solar panels on the roof of his business this summer, making Valley Car Wash the first automotive cleaning outfit to run on energy captured from the sun's rays. With state and federal rebates worth $273,000, Shouhed, 50, will break even in 10 years, he said.

``I'm living in (the environment), my kids are living in it,'' Shouhed said. ``Financially it is to my benefit as well.''

Saving money through renewable energy is a concept that is quickly gaining ground.

``We're seeing a very strong increase in awareness and interest in solar,'' said Kim Hughes, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, which serves 1.4 million customers in Los Angeles.

That spike is due, in large part, to the rebates available.

A $150 million DWP rebate program for businesses as well as homes was so popular that officials stopped it in 2003 after receiving more than 600 applications. Since restarting it last month, the DWP has already received 99 requests.

The state put up $3 billion in incentives over 11 years in hopes of getting one million new solar systems installed on roofs across the state.

Federal tax credits are available, too. Businesses can get a tax credit worth 30 percent of the cost of the solar installation. Residents are eligible for the same credit, up to $2,000. The credit expires at the end of next year.

In California, energy providers such as the DWP are upping their reliance on solar power and other types of renewable energy.

Now the DWP gets about 6 percent of its energy from renewable sources such as dams, wind and gases captured from landfills, Hughes said. In four years it hopes to triple that, in line with goals set by elected officials.

Renewable energy has its drawbacks.

The electricity supply is unreliable, said Amy Morgan, a spokeswoman for the California Energy Commission. At night and on cloudy days, the panels don't suck up as much juice.

The panels take up a lot of room and can be an eyesore. Toxins such as lead, arsenic and acetone are used to make the silicon solar panels. Those who invest in solar panels won't see a return on their investment for years.

The downsides to solar did not turn off Shouhed, whose decision to invest in solar was as much prompted by his environmentalism as his shrewd business sense. He already uses high-efficiency machines and recycles water at the carwash.

``I think about how to save money,'' Shouhed said in the shadows of the whirling cleaning machines. ``To make a profit you have to cut costs.''

And one of his main costs is electricity.

To run the wipers and blowers and washers, the carwash uses about 85 kilowatts an hour. An average-size home uses about 3 kilowatts an hour.

The 552-silicone solar panels perched atop his roof should generate enough energy to decimate his $4,500 monthly electricity bill.

Each shiny, metallic blue panel soaks up sunbeams, loosening minuscule particles called electrons. A conductor makes the electrons all flow in the same direction, creating an electrical current.

On clear sunny days, the panels absorb enough sun rays to contribute back to the city's power grid. A small black arrow in the electrical room of the carwash flashes backward when solar sources outpace the wash's use of electricity.

Planning the project and installing each panel took about four months.

Shouhed is still waiting for his first rock-bottom power bill but already wants to install solar systems on his four other carwashes.

julia.scott(at)dailynews.com

[phone]

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color) Joe Gamliel installs solar panels on the roof of Valley Car Wash in Van Nuys, making it the first carwash in the Valley to operate with solar power. Owner Sean Shouhed, below, hopes to break even on his $677,000 investment in 10 years.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer

Box:

How solar power works

SOURCE: Sharp Corporation

Gregg Miller/Staff Artist