Reagan Solar Panels White House Removed

Reagan took solar panels off the white house july 17 2017 when the reagans moved into the white house in 1981 they inherited 32 solar panels generating carbon free electricity on the west wing roof.

Reagan solar panels white house removed.

Reagan saw the solar panels installed by carter for what they were a public relations stunt and ordered them dismantled. The white house did not have solar panels in 2000. To understand what happened we have to go back to the reagan administration. 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.

George charles szego the engineer who persuaded carter to install the solar panels reportedly claimed that reagan s chief of staff donald t. Five years later president reagan inexplicably had the free clean energy sources removed. In 1991 unity college an environmentally centered college in maine acquired the panels and later installed them on their cafeteria. The solar panels which were.

In 1979 jimmy carter in a forward looking move installed solar panels in the roof of the white house. This symbolic installation was taken down in 1986 during the reagan presidency. The reagan administration weren t fans of solar. But in a curious parallel with the current occupant of the white house the panels weren t actually removed until 1986 five years after reagan took office.

Regan felt that the equipment was just a joke and he had it taken down the panels were removed in 1986 when work was being done on the white house roof below the panels. Under reagan funding was cut for the newly formed department of energy and in 1986 when the white house needed roof repairs under the solar thermal panels the reagan administration removed the panels and quietly decided to not reinstall them claiming it simply wasn t a cost effective option. Reagan who didn t think much of solar energy also allowed the tax credit carter had instated to lapse. Reagan was quoted as saying the panels were unsightly and unnecessary.