Jimmy james carter the 39 th president of the united states was the first president to install solar panels on the white house and he used them to heat the water for the staff kitchen.
First solar panels on white house.
The story of the first solar panels at the white house took many twists and turns and although they were controversial at the time they helped start the solar revolution in this country.
Former president carter s decision was certainly a symbolic one as the solar panels were installed during the 1979 oil crisis.
In 2013 in response to calls from the solar industry obama announced that solar panels would be installed on the roof of the white house for the first time since carter installed the first panels in 1979.
However in 1981 president ronald reagan ordered the white house solar panels to be removed.
In 2010 president barack obama requested that solar panels and a solar water heater be installed on the white house.
In 2013 president barack obama had a set of solar panels installed on the roof of the white house making it the first time solar power would be used for the president s living quarters.
Obama reinstalls solar on white house for first time in 40 years.
Today the group of buildings housing the presidency is known as the white house complex.
But he wasn t the first president to take advantage of alternative forms of energy atop the living quarters at 1600 pennsylvania avenue.
Greenleaf solar wants to tell you this story from the 20th century and wants to show you how it resonates in the 21st century.