About this time last year, Dr. Oscar Hevia's electrical bill peaked at about $500. In the past four months, though, Hevia has been ``pleasantly surprised'' that the amount has dropped by almost half.

It's not just because his family became more energy conscious by switching to energy-efficient light bulbs or flipping a switch once they left a room. Hevia went further: He's powering his Coral Gables home with solar energy.

His one-story, three-bedroom home also has gained historic value as the first solar-powered home in the city.

``I love being the first to do it,'' said Hevia, 47, a Dadeland-area dermatologist who has lived at his home on Jeronimo Drive for the past 3 years. The solar panels were put up over a three-day period in July.

The series of 20 photovoltaic cells installed on Hevia's slate rooftop takes sunlight and converts it into an electric current, which turns solar energy into electric energy. Throughout the day, the cells generate a sufficient amount of energy to power the house. Once the sun sets, FPL kicks in.

``The sun is a no-brainer,'' Hevia said. ``It's harnessing energy in a clean way. I have a science background, and I've always been very conscious of where we can draw our energy from and how carelessly we consume energy.''

Hevia's wife, Ana, also says she appreciates the benefits of having the sun working for them.

``Energy companies continue to increase prices on an essential component of our living environment,'' said Ana Hevia, a nurse practitioner in her husband's practice. ``Solar panels are not only about being green, but allow us to keep control of our energy costs.''

Making a home more energy efficient comes at a significant price, but the effort is worth it for a light bill that is close to nothing, Oscar Hevia said. Hevia declined to say exactly how much he spent on the installation. In general, the job costs between $30,000 and $60,000, he said.

``It is an expensive process. But you get that all back with state and federal rebates,'' he said. ``And an almost-zero electric bill doesn't hurt, either.''

Other residents, and the city itself, have begun looking into solar panels in the Gables. Residents need to be aware, however, that to reap the benefits of solar energy, they must have the proper paperwork to install solar powered panels, said Albert Reyes Jr., chief electrical official for the city. So far, the city has received only a couple of inquiries.

The system requires an electrical permit, which has to be processed through the architecture board, zoning, and structural and electrical departments, Reyes said. ``The permit process is rapid, because solar power energy systems are to be moved to the top of the process list to be quickly expedited.''

The city also has implemented various energy-efficient measures and is negotiating with the county to install the first solar panel crosswalk on University Drive to the War Memorial Youth Center, said Maria Rosa Higgins-Fallon, Coral Gables' public affairs manager.

For his part, Hevia said his energy-saving measures will not stop with the installation of the solar panels.

``I'll be installing a solar water heater very soon and adding more fluorescent bulbs,'' Hevia said. ``If we all do our part, we can really make a big difference.''

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