Whatever Happened to Those White House Solar Panels Obama Promised?
- Posted on June 21, 2011 at 7:21am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Last October, the Obama administration announced plans to install solar panels on the roof of the White House by the spring of this year, returning the power of the sun to the pinnacle of prominence a quarter-century after Jimmy Carter’s pioneering system was taken down.
Spring has come and gone, and the promised panels have yet to see the light of day.
Administration officials blame the complexities of the contracting process, and say the solar project is still an active one. But they can‘t say when it’ll be complete.
Environmental groups say the symbolism is telling – and disappointing.
“On we’ll go,” sighed Bill McKibben, founder of the climate activist group 350.org. “One more summer of beautiful, strong sunlight going to waste, just bouncing off the White House roof.”
McKibben and other environmentalists say the failure to meet its own deadline reflects an administration that’s been long on green rhetoric but sometimes disappointingly short on practical accomplishments.
In last fall’s announcement, at a conference of government officials and environmental groups, Energy Secretary Steven Chu was specific. “I’m pleased to announce that, by the end of this spring, there will be solar panels and a solar hot water heater on the roof of the White House,” he wrote that day on his departmental website.
Nancy Sutley, chairwoman of the Council on Environmental Quality, added that by installing the system on the most famous roof in America, President Barack Obama was “underscoring (his) commitment to lead and the promise and importance of renewable energy in the United States.”
McKibben, who along with other environmentalists had met with White House officials to urge such an installation, was surprised and gratified by the announcement a mere two weeks later. But the missed deadline has left him downcast.
“Nine months is a pretty long time. You can have a baby in that time,” he said. “On the list of things that get done, this isn’t all that hard. It doesn’t require SEAL Team 6. It just requires a good-faith effort. You can just open the Yellow Pages and get page after page of solar installers.”
Solar power advocates note that rooftop arrays are no longer the expensive oddity they were in Carter’s day. Depending on their locations, homeowners can install systems that will pay for themselves over time.
Administration officials counter that the White House isn’t just any old home.
“The Energy Department remains on the path to complete the White House solar demonstration project,” Ramamoorthy Ramesh, head of the Energy Department’s Solar Technology Program, wrote in a blog post late Monday, adding that further details and timing will be shared “after the competitive procurement process is completed.”
Despite the missed deadline, officials maintain climate issues and energy conservation have been a top priority under Obama. They point to higher gas-mileage standards, green-tech incentives in the stimulus plan and presidential visits to wind turbine and electric-vehicle battery plants. Ramesh heads what’s called the “SunShot Initiative,“ a competition that aims to slash the cost of solar power and make it ”quicker, easier and cheaper to install.”
Peter Marbach of Maine poses in front of the White House in Washington, May 15, 1991 with solar panels that have been removed from the White House. The panels were installed during the Carter administration but were removed because they were no longer being used. (AP Photo/Chuck Agel)
But environmentalists look at Obama‘s plans to boost offshore oil drilling and the collapse of climate change legislation and say the administration’s record is mixed. Especially for someone whose convention acceptance speech promised future generations would see his tenure as “the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal.”
The record on solar power at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue began in June 1979, when Carter had 32 panels installed at a cost of $30,000 to provide hot water to West Wing offices. At the time, the Iranian revolution had thrown world oil markets into turmoil and a U.S. energy crisis was in full bloom.
Carter knew his solar panels were an experiment.
“A generation from now, this solar heater can either be a curiosity, a museum piece, an example of a road not taken, or it can be just a small part of one of the greatest and most exciting adventures undertaken by the American people,” he said.
His successor, Ronald Reagan, was unimpressed. Aides had the panels removed and shipped to Unity College in Maine, where some of them remain.
Carter wasn‘t the only president to tap the sun’s energy. In early 2003, without a big announcement, George W. Bush‘s administration had a modest system installed on the roofs of several maintenance buildings to generate small amounts of power for the White House complex and heated water for the mansion’s outdoor pool.
Obama, in his public pronouncements, has aggressively promoted solar power along with wind and biofuels as ways of combatting global warming and weaning America off its expensive imported oil habit. He’s also declared the federal government should “lead by example” on solar.
However, the administration has long known there might be federal contracting hurdles. To accompany the White House project announcement in October, the Energy Department published a handbook titled “Procuring Solar Energy: A Guide for Federal Facility Decision Makers.” It ran to 104 pages.
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Comments (88)
purecolorartist
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 9:48amSolar arrays and giant windmills are a blight on the American landscape. Solar panals are great for calculators and space staions.
Report Post »ropati
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 12:15pmand since both of these are rapidly fading from existance …
Report Post »Liberalismsamentaldisorder
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 9:47amObama=lyer
Report Post »YankeeBlue
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 9:33am@SWAMPY
“Unless you are putting the things on a calculator or watch so you never have to worry about being without power, or are putting them in space where no other energy source other than nuclear is available, there is no reason to put a solar cell on anything. With current technology, more energy is spent producing the things than the amount of energy they will produce over their useful lifetime.”
That’s absolute nonsense – the payback period is about 2 years on a useful lifetime of 25. Please do your homework before propagating baloney you’ve read on the internet.
Report Post »Liberalismsamentaldisorder
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 9:50amHe wasn’t talking money. He’s talking ENERGY. The energy that goes into producing, transporting, and installing these panels is far more than the panels will produce in their usual lifespan. just like more energy is spent turning corn into ethanol than the ethanol produces. Another example of our “perception” world we live in. Everybody gets credit for their intentions, not results.
Report Post »nomercy63
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 9:31amI think Congress should not provide funds to the White House let them use candle light and a propane tank for cooking!
Report Post »chips1
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 5:28pmHook up a pipe to his butt and cook with gas!!!
Report Post »wewantchillywilly
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 9:05amThey’ll need an entire rooftop to power his teleprompters
Report Post »Ralleo
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 8:58amInstead of these ridiculously expensive, massive solar panels that break easily and look awful, why not use the Flexi-strip solar panels from Select Solar, or a product similar to reroof government buildings. Not only is the stuff durable, but it can double as roofing, still work as a solar panel, and not have to worry about breaking and looking ridiculous on the roof of the whitehouse. These panels are designed also to work in extreme cold weather environments, so they can handle winters in DC easily.
Report Post »Griffin1340
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 8:57amOH come on! We all know that new solar panels will get in the way of the SKYNET defensive lasers.
Report Post »Rickfromillinois
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 8:52amSo how much money is the government going to spend just going through the contracting process? What’s the hold up, can’t find a local unionized contractor that installs solar panels? It couldn’t be that Mr Obama said that he was going to do but then did something else? Maybe everyone just wise up and disregard what he says and watch what he does.
Report Post »MUDFLAPS
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 8:43amSilly people, believing what he said. Dont you know its just for the sound bite. This man is a lier to the core. He would lie when the truth would get him further.
Report Post »Celeste303
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 8:37amYou didn’t seriously think Obama would actually do it. Isn’t this that same guy who increased the limo service for all those poor employees – bet they weren’t hybrids!
Report Post »threecats407
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 8:34amSolar pipe dreams. What none of these do gooders seem to understand is the more exotic the device is the greater the net loss is.
Report Post »Take the mandate that demanded furnaces to be at least 80% efficient. This did away with tiny pilot lights and draft hoods that kept the masonry chimneys warm. Pilots that actually provided heat to the home anyway. Now to overcome the problem of condensation chimneys had to be lined with stainless steel or aluminum.
Mind exercise:
Imagine heavy equipment with tires one story high, smelters, tractor trailers, railways, trillions of btus of heat to produce these chimney products, the added electronics these pilotless units needed, the extra motor these units need….vs one teeny pilot light.
In the end it is a net loss. You have used more energy than you will save. Same with the POS CFL bulbs.
Sorry, you can not and will not beat the laws of energy conservation.
slvrserfr
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 8:17amHmmm….couldn’t possibly have anything to do with solar panels being known for causing physical harm and even cancerous radiation? Another reason could be that this is another fine example of ‘do as I say, not as I do’. He could tout green jobs all he wants, but yet still insists on having presidential exemption from emission regulations imposed on “The Beast”. This has been seen countless times, everyone sacrifices while he travels the world, goes on vacation nearly every other week, spends taxpayer dollars at an alarming rate, etc. He is the biggest hypocrite ever.
Report Post »TexasStu
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 8:10amThere are a couple of reasons for installing solar panels that I can think of; one would be because you are too far removed from power lines and installing solar becomes cheaper, the second would be for a gate or lighting somewhere once again that is too far to be cost efficient to run power….but wait here in Texas they are tripling down in EPA regs to make coal fired plants become a thing of the past…..still I think it will be too expensive to install. I figure if I install solar on my house in a big enough size to make a difference it would take me about 28-30 years to recoup the cost and the solar panels last about 10-15 years before you have to replace them….nope not on my house.
Report Post »cowdude
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 8:20amThen this is the perfect and typical investment for the govt. Something that doesn’t pay for itself in the foreseeable future.
Cowdude
Report Post »http://conservativewatercooler.com
sWampy
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 9:34amThere was a good article about the volts having to be driven 100K miles+ before they saved any energy when you counted the extra energy taken to produce them and dispose of the batteries when they wore out. Only problem is they are designed for city traffic and seldom will be used any where near this number of miles before their batteries start to fail.
Report Post »cjt1957
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 8:06amGee the RED TAPE is to much for them to over come. I wonder why unemployment is so high, RED TAPE. I wonder why small business is not growing, RED TAPE. I wonder why obamacare will ruin us, RED TAPE. Roll back the regulation if you really want this country to move forward….
Report Post »dadsrootbeer
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 8:00amNo, not another lie and failed policy from the worst leader of all time that is similar to the 2nd worst President Jimmy Carter. Thanks radical progressives, nice track record. Let’s not forget FDR and Woodrow Wilson as well.
Report Post »SREGN
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 7:56amThe truth is not in him.
Report Post »dthomps6
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 7:55amI think it’s funny that the White House is running into so much red tape. The red tape that they created.
Report Post »ITOLDUSO
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 7:55amI think they went out to be replaced with an air pressure guage for all Americans.
Report Post »Lost In Space
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 7:46am“Complex contracting process,” give me an f–ing break,they want to know why theres no jobs in this country! high im from the goverment,im here to help,,,, be afraid, very afraid.
Report Post »Meyvn
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 7:40amLet me guess. GE is donating the panels?
Report Post »ecurbyy
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 8:31amI think you’re on the right track there Meyvn; Just follow the money. There are just two things Obama is concerned with. Getting reelected, and raising $$$ to get reelected.
Report Post »lemmings4obama
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 2:04pmGE already owes him, so what’s the hold up?
Report Post »Living In NYC
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 7:33amFire up the coal generators! That will keep Barry and his buds in A/C this summer!
Go coal!
Report Post »one years food ration like glenn says
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 7:56amAnd ” DRILL BABY, DRILL ” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lmao..
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 7:27am.
Report Post »Solar Panels are a waste of money…. There that should do it……
turkey13
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 11:39amThe White would be embareassed if they installed the panels and word got out that the company he promoted and gave our hard earned money to moved it’s operations to China.
Report Post »kestrel27
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 7:27amAdministration officils blame the complexities of the contracting process…the very same geniuses in government that created the said complexities. Why is it that Americans always believe that those in government are SMART people?
Report Post »tinydd
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 2:10pmThey should arrive from China very soon people….
Report Post »NOBALONEY
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 7:26amThey’re woking on it. It’s part of the new Summer of Recovery 2, VP Biden will have a deal in days on the deficit. It’s Christmas in July.
Report Post »Aaron in Polk County
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 7:25amPlease don’t deface the White House with Solar Panels.
What are you trying to do with this story? What is The Blaze’s intention? Do you actually want them to go through with installing the large panel on a Historical Monument or in the Yard?
Report Post »one years food ration like glenn says
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 7:55amOn we’ll go,” sighed Bill McKibben….. Yes keep going , all the way to Cuba….
Report Post »cowdude
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 8:17amYes, they should install them so it will further remind us of the President he so much emulates, CARTER. If they could place a wind mill in front of his teleprompter or convert his BS to electric there would clearly be a greater power generation though.
Cowdude
Report Post »http://conservativewatercooler.com where we drink TEA not Kool-AID!
sWampy
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 8:20amUnless you are putting the things on a calculator or watch so you never have to worry about being without power, or are putting them in space where no other energy source other than nuclear is available, there is no reason to put a solar cell on anything. With current technology, more energy is spent producing the things than the amount of energy they will produce over their useful lifetime.
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 8:54amYou are ALL WRONG…
It DOES take time to do these things…
First, you have to find out which solar panel MAKER is willing to give you the most campaign contributions.
Second, you have to get multiple members of Congress to invest their money in a solar panel installation company in the DC territory.
Then, you have to wait for a key piece of legislation to stall in Congress
Finally, you whip your solar panel project out of the bag, and offer to let THEIR solar panel company get the prime WH endorsement – in exchange for voting YOUR WAY on that legislation.
lol
Considering the acres and acres and acres of WH that are now UNDERGROUND, putting solar panels on its roof would be like installing a hearing-aid battery to help power a shopping mall.
Solar panel need to be tied in at the meter, I understand.
Do the meter readers come clomping through the WH back yard every 4 weeks?
Or, did their local power company trick them into PAYING for the new $300 remote-read meters like my last power company – yep, we got the privilege of paying for the upgraded meters. In exchange, the power company raised our rates AND saved money by eliminating jobs for meter readers. (at least that is what obummer would say)
Here in CA, Arnold signed electric contracts that jack our electricity rates up FIVE TIMES if we install solar. So, you HAVE to get a HUGE SOLAR PANEL system or you will PAY FIVE TIMES MORE for any electricity you still buy! Net result – HIGHER electric bi
Report Post »chazman
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 9:05amThe Secret Service doesn’t want them up there. They will get in the way of their line of fire.
Report Post »Cryodawn
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 11:18amI really don’t have a issue with them putting solar panels up, but to say you are going to do something and not… and then go well, it’s not our fault because we have all this red tape here is asinine. They came out on their own accord and said they were going to do it. They missed the date, and it’s no one’s fault except theirs.
I’m no green nutcase, running around saying we need to go back to living in caves. But, there is a point that we do need to keep things clean too. Pick up after ourselves and not be little piggy’s, so trying to be a cleaner people isn’t a bad thing. (Oceans, Lakes, Air, Etc.) However raising prices, extra taxes, carbon tax, and whatever red tape that gets thrown in just puts people off to the idea. Solar power itself is really very cheap, but like with all things everyone has to get involved and jack the prices up 1000%.
Report Post »I think most of could deal with the whole Green Movement when it was just the “Earth Day” campaign and “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” was my limit. Now it’s the “Let’s make us a third world country” and I’ve been to those kind of countries and they aren’t very clean.
VegasGuy
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 12:20pmAnd these are the same idiots that will make life and death decisions about our health-care. People will die before any procedures are approved and performed. But that is their ultimate plan, isn’t it?
Report Post »GETLIFE
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 2:06pmMy guess is that for some reason… the panels will not be out there for all to see before the elections.
Report Post »And then, no matter the outcome, they won’t be up after the elections either.
clarkm
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 2:32pmInteresting discussion. You should post your viewpoints about this on http://www.whitehousevoice.com!
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 3:51pmha ha ha ha ha a “promise” ha ha ha ha how’s that hopey changey thing going for everyone?
Report Post »Cgeezy
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 4:10pm@Swampy
That was a very uniformed opinion on the matter. What you just said is completely false.
A solar panel breaks even in about 2 years and continues to work well past that mark.
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on June 21, 2011 at 6:53pm.
Report Post »You didn’t expect Obama to keep a single promise, did you?
paperpushermj
Posted on June 22, 2011 at 1:12amThe White House and Capital Engineers told the President that they would take up to much space, be unsightly and the electricity produced would cost to much.
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