Ronald Reagan Remove Solar Panels

Nearly 38 years after mr.

Ronald reagan remove solar panels.

It was clear reagan had a completely different take on energy consumption. The average solar panel from the era produces approximately 1 05 kwh of energy every day. 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. Some activists have called on the obama administration to bring solar back to the white house roof and solar company sungevity has offered to install 102 of its photovoltaic panels.

How ronald reagan turned out the lights on solar power. Ronald reagan helped tear down the berlin wall and he also helped tear down the white house s solar panels. In an excerpt from his new book let it shine john perlin reveals how one of the first actions of the new reagan administration was to dim the lights on what had been a promising start for an american solar energy program. Multiply by reagan s 32 solar panels and you get 33 6 kwh of clean energy every day for free.

John perlin describes a key moment in the debate over big. Reagan s political philosophy viewed the free market as the best arbiter of what was good for the country. Originally panels were installed in the late 70s during president jimmy carter s administration but president ronald reagan removed them in 1986 because of a roof leak and decided not to. Reagan who didn t think much of solar energy also allowed the tax credit carter had instated to lapse.

Seven years after the west wing roof party in 1986 the symbolic solar collectors met with roof repairs and they were never re installed. Reagan was quoted as saying the panels were unsightly and unnecessary. President ronald reagan took office in 1981 and the solar panels were removed during his administration. Dirck halstead getty images.

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. They were put in a warehouse in virginia and forgotten. Author natalie goldstein wrote in global warming.