A new Pa. program to provide rebates for solar projects is now in operation. The race to the sun is officially on in Pennsylvania.

On a back deck of a modest home in Roxborough, Gov. Rendell yesterday declared the Pennsylvania Sunshine rebate program ready to accept applications.

Rebates of up to 35 percent are available on a first-come, first-served basis to owners of homes and small businesses looking to offset the cost of buying and installing solar energy systems.

"This is a great day for Pennsylvanians who care about saving money over the long run, who care about creating the new green energy jobs that President Obama talks so much about, and who care about the quality of our air and the future of our environment," Rendell said.