George Villec, president of Geo Innovation, shows off his solar-powered electric car, which he drove to the awards ceremony on Thursday. Also honored was Shirley Scott, whose City Council ward office is built for solar-energy use.

James S. Wood / Arizona Daily Star

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Veteran tinkerer and local solar installer George Villec was recognized for his energetic commitment to solar energy on Thursday during a solar-energy press conference by U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of District 8.

Giffords, a Democrat, honored Villec, 45, and Tucson Vice Mayor Shirley Scott with Giffords' inaugural Congressional Awards for Excellence in Solar Energy during a brief ceremony at Clements Center, 8155 E. Poinciana Drive, where Scott's office is located.

Giffords hailed Scott for pushing for her ward office building to become the first — and only, so far — municipal building in Tucson built to use solar energy, although the city's parking garage at North Scott Avenue and East Pennington Street also is solar-powered.

Villec, who says he's one of four solar installers in Tucson who are nationally certified as solar technicians, rode with his wife, Linda, from their Sabino Canyon-area home to the event in a solar car that Villec designed.

He once worked as an engineer for General Motors and Ford Motor Co. Three years ago, he started his own firm, Geo Innovation, and began solar installations.

But he's interested in more than mere installation, he said.

"It's also education, so people can make better decisions," he added.

Villec said he built his golf-cart-style solar car as "an inspiration, not an answer to anything." It allows people to see what's possible, and when he drives it, he's able to educate people who approach him to ask about it, his wife said.

Before passing out the awards, Giffords addressed a crowd of about 100 to update it on recent progress in the world of solar energy.

Last week, the Giffords-sponsored Solar Research and Advancement Act of 2007 received strong bipartisan support from the House Committee on Science and Technology, and the bill is slated to become part of the energy package the House will vote on later this month, Giffords said.

She also cited German-based Solon AG's plans to open a solar manufacturing and installation facility in Tucson and the recent announcement that the city of Tucson has received a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to promote increased use of solar-powered technologies.