Reagan Takes Solar Panels Down

365 days a year 24 year that s 294 336 kwh of dirty energy bought and burned because of one bad decision by ronald reagan.

Reagan takes solar panels down.

In 1986 ronald reagan removed the solar panels installed by jimmy carter from the white house. The average solar panel from the era produces approximately 1 05 kwh of energy every day. While jimmy carter was in office the federal energy. Dirck halstead getty images.

They were put in a warehouse in virginia and forgotten. It was clear reagan had a completely different take on energy consumption. And it would take producing roughly a square meter of photovoltaic panels or the mirrors for a solar thermal system every few seconds for the next 40 years to harvest one terawatt of energy from. Reagan was quoted as saying the panels were unsightly and unnecessary.

Dixy lee ray the chair of the atomic energy commission and author of the nation s energy future took the subpanel seriously and made sure photovoltaics received but a pittance fulfilling her prophecy that solar would remain in her words like a flea on the behind of an elephant in america s energy mix. In 1986 when the price of energy was temporarily cheaper and americans minds were less focused on environmental issues president reagan ordered the panels removed from the white house roof. Multiply by reagan s 32 solar panels and you get 33 6 kwh of clean energy every day for free. Solar panels finally back on the white house almost 30 years after reagan removed them new 50 comments by nathan ingraham may 9 2014 1 50pm edt.

That also meant no solar panels. This symbolic installation was taken down in 1986 during the reagan presidency. President ronald reagan took office in 1981 and the solar panels were removed during his administration. Seven years after the west wing roof party in 1986 the symbolic solar collectors met with roof repairs and they were never re installed.

In 1979 jimmy carter in a forward looking move installed solar panels in the roof of the white house. Ronald reagan helped tear down the berlin wall and he also helped tear down the white house s solar panels. Reagan s political philosophy viewed the free market as the best arbiter of what was good for the country. Author natalie goldstein wrote in global warming.

Reagan who didn t think much of solar energy also allowed the tax credit carter had instated to lapse.