Photos: The solar house that Mike built

Project leaders cheer at the October 20, 2006, dedication ceremony, when they "flipped the switch" and took the house off the energy grid. The house is now fully self-sustaining and independent of the local power grid.

Sashe Annete, who handles media relations for the project, likened the system to early computers. Because this is a prototype, she said, it is much more involved and expensive than future projects following the model would be. With research done and basic details of the system largely worked out, future projects will be more streamlined, she said.

From left to right are Gian-Paolo Caminiti of Renewable Energy International, the commercial arm of the project; Connie O. Hughes, commissioner of the New Jersey board of public utilities; homeowner Michael Strizki; and Sashe Annete.