"It's the gem of Woodland Street," Miller said of the circa 1850 structure, which he bought 20 years ago.

A member of groups such as the Tennessee Environmental Council and the World Wildlife Fund, Miller grew intrigued by solar power after he read about grants in a Sierra Club newsletter.

"It's feasible for any business that owns their building," Miller said. "It's possible to recoup your costs in 10 years or less and significantly reduce your electricity bill."

He ended up paying about half the cost of the $46,000 solar package, a large 5.1-kilowatt system that includes 30 panels, with help from a state grant and tax credits. The Clean Energy Technology grants cover 40 percent of installed cost for solar electric, with the maximum grant amount at $75,000. (However, such grants are not available for homes or nonprofits, such as schools and churches.)

Installation last December touched off other green efforts: His law office of two attorneys and six other staffers began recycling more. They also switched out all their light bulbs to more efficient compact fluorescents. Pretty soon, Miller was the go-to guy among his lawyer friends on anything solar. He even talked a fellow attorney with an office in Germantown into giving it a try.

Because grid-tied solar power is so new in Nashville, and because his building is in the Edgefield historic district, Miller had to get a preservation permit from the Metro Historic Zoning Commission. The commission approved the panels but told Miller he would have to reduce the angle of the tilt so they would be less visible.