Solar panels on the White House

Jeanwah · October 2010

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art ... =D9ILFH9G1

Here comes the sun: White House to go solar

By DINA CAPPIELLO – 4 hours ago

WASHINGTON — Solar power is coming to President Barack Obama's house.

The most famous residence in America, which has already boosted its green credentials by planting a garden, plans to install solar panels atop the White House's living quarters. The solar panels are to be installed by spring 2011, and will heat water for the first family and supply some electricity.

The plans will be formally announced later Tuesday by White House Council on Environmental Quality Chairwoman Nancy Sutley and Energy Secretary Steven Chu.

Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush both tapped the sun during their days in the White House. Carter in the late 1970s spent $30,000 on a solar water-heating system for West Wing offices. Bush's solar systems powered a maintenance building and some of the mansion, and heated water for the pool.

Obama, who has championed renewable energy, has been under increasing pressure to lead by example by installing solar at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, something White House officials said has been under consideration since he first took office.

The decision perhaps has more import now after legislation to reduce global warming pollution died in the Senate, despite the White House's support. Obama has vowed to try again on a smaller scale.

Last month, global warming activists with 350.org carried one of Carter's solar panels — which were removed in 1986 — from Unity College in Maine to Washington to urge Obama to put solar panels on his roof. It was part of a global campaign to persuade world leaders to install solar on their homes. After a meeting with White House officials, they left Washington without a commitment.

That campaign followed calls by the solar industry for the White House to become a national billboard for solar power.

"Putting solar on the roof of the nation's most important real estate is a powerful symbol calling on all Americans to rethink how we generate electricity," Solar Energy Industries Association President Rhone Resch said.

Drowned Out · October 2010

Holy back to the future.
Are we supposed to be impressed that this little symbolic gesture has been repeated, 25 years later?
What a joke that we've not progressed any further after all that time....:(

JonnyPistachio · October 2010

Drowned Out wrote:

Holy back to the future.
Are we supposed to be impressed that this little symbolic gesture has been repeated, 25 years later?
What a joke that we've not progressed any further after all that time....:(

Solar panel efficiencies have improved tremendously in 25 years. In fact, there are many new technologies in solar power that are bound to take off soon. I think its a step in the right direction, and I can appreciate Obamas push for renewable energy and leading by example..

Jason P · October 2010

I would propose making solar panels a mandatory inclusion into the design of future government buildings. Or perhaps a contest with a sizable monetary award for improving the technology of solar energy collection into a feasible and cost-effective technology that could become mainstream.

Solar energy collection must be very difficult because it doesn't seem like much progress has been made in the last 30 years. Either that or there is no financial incentive combined with a lack of non-profit funding.

cincybearcat · October 2010

They need to put up 1 of those huge wind turbines on the front lawn. Now that would be a symbol.

Drowned Out · October 2010

JonnyPistachio wrote:

Drowned Out wrote:

Holy back to the future.
Are we supposed to be impressed that this little symbolic gesture has been repeated, 25 years later?
What a joke that we've not progressed any further after all that time....:(

Solar panel efficiencies have improved tremendously in 25 years. In fact, there are many new technologies in solar power that are bound to take off soon. I think its a step in the right direction, and I can appreciate Obamas push for renewable energy and leading by example..

agreed. I just think it's stupid that it's being discussed again now...it should have been an ongoing effort that's been built upon by every president since Carter...didnt Reagan take Carter's panels down?

Drowned Out · October 2010

Jason P wrote:

I would propose making solar panels a mandatory inclusion into the design of future government buildings. Or perhaps a contest with a sizable monetary award for improving the technology of solar energy collection into a feasible and cost-effective technology that could become mainstream.

Solar energy collection must be very difficult because it doesn't seem like much progress has been made in the last 30 years. Either that or there is no financial incentive combined with a lack of non-profit funding.

Mandatory inclusions and financial incentives?????? fuckin commies!

errrr wait...um....socialists?

Jeanwah · October 2010

It took many signatures and nagging to get the solar panels back up.
350.org

And, yeah. Reagan took them down.

norm · October 2010

Jason P wrote:

Solar energy collection must be very difficult because it doesn't seem like much progress has been made in the last 30 years.

the oil and energy industries have very powerful and well funded lobbies

Electric_Delta · October 2010

Hopefully this results in unemployment coming down a few percentage points.

Jason P · October 2010

Drowned Out wrote:

Jason P wrote:

I would propose making solar panels a mandatory inclusion into the design of future government buildings. Or perhaps a contest with a sizable monetary award for improving the technology of solar energy collection into a feasible and cost-effective technology that could become mainstream.

Solar energy collection must be very difficult because it doesn't seem like much progress has been made in the last 30 years. Either that or there is no financial incentive combined with a lack of non-profit funding.

Mandatory inclusions and financial incentives?????? fuckin commies! errrr wait...um....socialists?

Welcome to the world of construction.

A magical land that combines capitalism and socialism.

eyedclaar · October 2010

Electric_Delta wrote:

Hopefully this results in unemployment coming down a few percentage points.

Ahh, the non sequitur game. I love this game. I hope the solar panels help fund our Tauntaun taming programs for the benefit of all mankind.

Jason P · October 2010

eyedclaar wrote:

Electric_Delta wrote:

Hopefully this results in unemployment coming down a few percentage points.

Ahh, the non sequitur game. I love this game. I hope the solar panels help fund our Tauntaun taming programs for the benefit of all mankind.

The Tauntaun training program would only help those in the arctic regions of the globe. Before spending our research money on the taming program, we should focus on programs that benefit America as a whole. Plus, PETA would get involved. And then you have to measure the Tauntaun's impact to the ecosystem, especially since their main predator, the Wampa, has been extinct on this planet for quite some time. If there numbers are not kept in check, it could prove disastrous to the fragile balance of the tundra.

Electric_Delta · October 2010

Jason P wrote:

eyedclaar wrote:

Electric_Delta wrote:

Hopefully this results in unemployment coming down a few percentage points.

Ahh, the non sequitur game. I love this game. I hope the solar panels help fund our Tauntaun taming programs for the benefit of all mankind.

The Tauntaun training program would only help those in the arctic regions of the globe. Before spending our research money on the taming program, we should focus on programs that benefit America as a whole. Plus, PETA would get involved. And then you have to measure the Tauntaun's impact to the ecosystem, especially since their main predator, the Wampa, has been extinct on this planet for quite some time. If there numbers are not kept in check, it could prove disastrous to the fragile balance of the tundra.

Absolutely. The government also needs to fund some programs to find out ways to make the Tauntaun stomach more lightsaber-resistant.

Pepe Silvia · October 2010

Jason P wrote:

I would propose making solar panels a mandatory inclusion into the design of future government buildings. Or perhaps a contest with a sizable monetary award for improving the technology of solar energy collection into a feasible and cost-effective technology that could become mainstream.

Solar energy collection must be very difficult because it doesn't seem like much progress has been made in the last 30 years. Either that or there is no financial incentive combined with a lack of non-profit funding.

http://www.ashevillenc.gov/departments/ ... x?id=11040

http://www.acsf.org/news.htm
Progress Energy Sponsors Grants to Teachers
for Energy Education and Conservation

This year we awarded $18,000 to teachers to implement energy education projects that impacted 1037 students at seven school sites. Teacher grants in Energy Education and Conservation provide much needed resources to create engaging units of study that make learning leap off the page. Projects included conversion of a gas-powered car to electric power, construction of functioning solar panels, construction of an outdoor classroom with alternative materials, and much more! A description of the projects is attached here.

The Foundation provides grant-writing workshops and individual tutorials to teachers and staff. Methods of evaluation are developed with support from the Foundation, and each project is rigorously evaluated for student impact and learning.

(Grant requests were almost twice the amount available, and good proposals went unfunded. You can fund a grant with a donation here!)

Congratulations to these teachers and staff members who devoted extra time to design and implement extraordinary projects in energy and conservation education!
Grant Author

School

Project Title

Jim Brice

AHS/SILSA

Converting Gas-Powered Cars to Electric

Loralee Iglesias/
Christie Tongier

RLC

Understanding Alternative & Conventional Sources of Energy

Jocelyn Reese

Vance Elementary

Developing Inquiry Based Units for the Study of Energy and Ecology

Alan Wells

HF Elementary

Building a Bio-Mass Fuel Generator

Melissa Hedt/Nick Rogowsky

AMS

Designing Solar Houses

Michael McIntosh

RLC

Becoming Leaders in Energy Conservation

Victoria Angelotti

Ira B Jones

Changing the World, One Bag at a Time

Melissa Boks

Ira B Jones
Elementary

Training Teachers to Engage Students in Deep Discussions About Energy and the Environment

Crystal Hartis

Vance Elementary

Building an Energy Efficient Outdoor Classroom

Cindy Byron

AHS

Building Solar-Powered Cars

Drowned Out · October 2010

Pepe Silvia wrote:

Jason P wrote:

I would propose making solar panels a mandatory inclusion into the design of future government buildings. Or perhaps a contest with a sizable monetary award for improving the technology of solar energy collection into a feasible and cost-effective technology that could become mainstream.

Solar energy collection must be very difficult because it doesn't seem like much progress has been made in the last 30 years. Either that or there is no financial incentive combined with a lack of non-profit funding.

http://www.ashevillenc.gov/departments/ ... x?id=11040

Am I reading this right? An $18,000 private grant?

That's great and all...but you look at the bank bailouts and....

Imagine how far a trillion could go in Energy R&D...
I've been bitching about this in Alberta forever...we had multi-billion dollar provincial surpluses for a few years....pissed part of it away, and put the rest in our 'heritage fund' (rainy day fund)...(oh, and paid a good chunk in provincial 'equalization payments' to the have-not provinces)....
Now....knowing that my province has an oil-based economy, and that oil is a non-renewable resource....wouldn't it make sense to invest our windfall in renewable energy R&D (by way of 10-figure research grants), to allow us to stay at the fore of the energy industry as the world sloooooooowly shifts away from oil dependance?
Oh wait, we're runnin a deficit again, forget about the planet :roll:

Jason P · October 2010

I forgot about this, but a company just receieved $400M in guaranteed government loans to convert an empty building (just built and closed by Chrysler) to covert it to a solar panel factory. It will create 850 jobs and hopefully bring the price down in time for solar technology. I think a similar loan was approved for a plant in Arizona as well.

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100706/NEWS07/100709769/-1/NEWS09

Abound Solar plans to make panels with thin-film photovoltaic technology at the factory. It says that when its $500 million investment in new equipment and building improvements is complete the plant will be the largest solar panel manufacturing facility in the country and produce millions of panels a year.

VINNY GOOMBA · October 2010

Jeanwah wrote:

And, yeah. Reagan took them down.

This was a horrible idea, unless of course that the solar panels were somehow costing MORE money to operate the White House. Why pay all of that money for installation (which it is still VERY expensive) to demo it just a few years later? What if the previous system was completely abandoned and had to be re-installed? Only the Federal Government...

Pepe Silvia · October 2010

Drowned Out wrote:

Pepe Silvia wrote:

Jason P wrote:

I would propose making solar panels a mandatory inclusion into the design of future government buildings. Or perhaps a contest with a sizable monetary award for improving the technology of solar energy collection into a feasible and cost-effective technology that could become mainstream.

Solar energy collection must be very difficult because it doesn't seem like much progress has been made in the last 30 years. Either that or there is no financial incentive combined with a lack of non-profit funding.

http://www.ashevillenc.gov/departments/ ... x?id=11040

Am I reading this right? An $18,000 private grant? That's great and all...but you look at the bank bailouts and....

Imagine how far a trillion could go in Energy R&D...
I've been bitching about this in Alberta forever...we had multi-billion dollar provincial surpluses for a few years....pissed part of it away, and put the rest in our 'heritage fund' (rainy day fund)...(oh, and paid a good chunk in provincial 'equalization payments' to the have-not provinces)....
Now....knowing that my province has an oil-based economy, and that oil is a non-renewable resource....wouldn't it make sense to invest our windfall in renewable energy R&D (by way of 10-figure research grants), to allow us to stay at the fore of the energy industry as the world sloooooooowly shifts away from oil dependance?
Oh wait, we're runnin a deficit again, forget about the planet :roll:

hey, you'll get no argument from me that until alternatives get the same kind of money and breaks that oil, gas, coal, nuclear...get it's mostly lip service but at least the city is trying. they have solar panels on all the city buildings, any new buildings or additions have to use green supplies, the city government converted all their vehicles to biofuel and some gas powered, they had a program to send people to college for green related jobs (though, the area you live in has to be a certain % poor to get it), they have a good public transit system, and a lot of little things like you have to turn you computer and lights off at the end of the day. they've managed to save a good bit of money that they built a lot of sidewalks and upgraded some parks with and keep reducing the city's carbon footprint.

Solar panels on the White House

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