Fifteen-year Sunnyvale resident Doug Thompson recently started powering his house with solar energy supplied by 25 200-watt panels on his roof. This has helped him eliminate almost completely his PG&E bill; he says it will also help him remove more than 6 tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

"It's a great feeling to watch your meter actually run backwards and to eliminate your electricity bill," Thompson said.

Before he installed the panels three months ago, Thompson said he was spending about $150 each month for power. He still pays a small amount for gas to run his furnace.

The system cost $38,000 to install, but thanks to rebates from PG&E and the state--offered as incentive for homeowners to install solar systems--Thompson had to pay only $16,000. If he saves $150

0 each month on power, the system will pay for itself in less than a decade.

On Jan. 12, the state passed the California Solar Initiative, which allotted $3.2 billion for solar energy rebates for 11 years, to encourage the development of solar systems around the state.

While the initiative encourages both private and large-scale solar systems, the basic technology behind the panels remains the same.

The photovoltaic cells in solar panels create energy by converting light energy, or photons, into electrons. Each panel is made up of semiconductors that absorb light from the sun. The energy from the sun excites electrons in the semiconductors and the cells then force the electrons to flow in a specific direction. A device called an inverter then converts the energy--running as a direct current--into an alternating current that can be used by household outlets and appliances.

Thompson still buys power from PG&E because his system does not have batteries to store excess energy, as some do, but he earns credit for surplus energy, and that more than makes up for the price of the power he does buy.

Thompson said that he doesn't think he'll get batteries because of the expense. He says they are crucial only in areas where power outages are frequent.

"If I lose power in my house for an hour or two, it's really not that bad," he said.

In addition to powering his house, including the hot tub he heats year-round, some of the energy collected by the panels is used to charge a $299 electric scooter that Thompson uses to run errands, go shopping and visit the gym. He said, in four months he has put moe than 1,000 miles on the scooter.

"My racquetball buddies give me a hard time about it," he said. "It looks like something a high school kid would ride around on."

His friends may laugh, but Thompson said it's worth it for the benefits. At least five other homes in his area have solar systems installed, and wants to meet with local officials to spread the technology to city structures.

"I would like to try to get the city to help with public education and help cut costs by installing systems at city buildings like the Sunnyvale Community Center."