G.E. Nordell is a man who wears many hats.

The retired computer man is an author, web entrepreneur, self-described revolutionary (his license plate says so) and now a microcosmic power mogul.

Nordell has had solar panels installed in his backyard in Chamesa Estates, east of Rio Communities, and now collects a small check every month. He no longer pays an electric bill.

"I joke with my neighbors that they're paying for electricity I'm making," Nordell said.

The solar panels are connected to a backward running power meter, right next to the regular one on the side of his house.

"I come out and check almost every morning," Nordell said of his solar panals.

He said he is still connected to the power grid, but no longer pays an electric bill.

"My highest bills were between $40 and $60," he said.

Nordell decided to begin making solar energy after he received a small inheritance.

"I just wanted to do solar," he said.

After investing several thousand dollars, and filling out paperwork about an inch thick with the state mining department, Nordell got his own solar power unit. He said the ten panels can produce as much as 1,800 watts of electricity. He has seen it go as high as 1,700 watts.

The meter starts off lower in the morning ― around 600 watts ― but increases as the day progresses. The amount of power that he contributes to the grid is what he receives a check for.

Nordell said he had hoped a good, full moon would generate some power.

"Not quite," he said.

The power grid in his backyard doesn't need much maintenance. Mostly, Nordell sits back and collects power.

"I have to monitor it to make sure I don't blow a fuse during a lightening strike," he said.

He said that the installers were unable to place the panels on his roof because of sky lights, so he is the first person he knows of who has an on-the-ground set up. He said his solar panels get 95 percent coverage.

Nordell is no stranger to technology. He runs several web sites featuring topics from Historic Route 66 to Howard Hughes. He sells books and DVDs on Amazon.

He admits that though he is retired, he still gets the occasional spam e-mail from China offering him a job.

"I took down my resume," he joked.

Nordell worked as a systems programmer for the Sands Hotel and Casino when it was owned by infamous billionaire Howard Hughes. He worked as a systems programmer back when Las Vegas had three computers, writing programs for payroll and gaming revenue.

He said that he never met Hughes, but did reach the man via memo. He said the Frontier Casino, also owned by Hughes, was always late turning in its numbers. Frustrated, Norton ran the program anyway, without the Frontier's data. This eventually made it's way to Hughes' desk, and he issued an edict that said everyone at the Frontier would be fired if they turned their numbers in late again.

"That's the closest I got, you could say," he said.

He was eventually fired when Summa Corp took over the Hughes properties in Las Vegas.

Nordell, a Culver City, Calif. native, said he also worked as a security guard at Hughes Aircraft, the building site of the enormous Hercules airplane, also known as the "Spruce Goose." The hangars have been used to film scenes in the films Independence Day and Titanic, he said.

He said he finagled his way onto the property under the guise of being an author and received a tour of the property.

Nordell was eventually hired on.

"I became the security guard in charge of the Hughes Playa Vista Property."

Nordell said he threw 56 trespassers off the property in one day. That made the security guard who got him the job angry.

"He took on the job of getting rid of me," Nordell said.

As it turned out, the security guard had good reason for not wanting Nordell throwing trespassers of the property. Nordell said he was a spy for a group of protestors who wanted to save the property from being developed into condominiums.

"He admitted he was a spy for the protestors," Nordell said.

Howard Hughes has made his way into Nordell's writing. A character in his detective novel, "Backlot Requiem," is named Howard Helms. The novel details the exploits of a detective named Rick Walker. The novel has been translated into Croatian ― "Requiem za Glumca," which means "Requiem for an Actor."

"All I can read is my name," he said.

After a stint with Universal Studios, Nordell decided he had enough of California.

"A left turn took three signals all day long," he said.

Nordell moved to Valencia County, where he lives alone.

"My pet rock ran away," he joked.

When he's not writing or working online, he is a member of Mensa, the high IQ organization that meets in Albuquerque bars and Indian restaurants.