Solar panels on the White House roof 35+ years ago? Yes, they were there. President Jimmy Carter installed them in June of 1979 at a cost of a mere $28,000 (a very small amount in the governmental budget). In addition to saving on utility bills, it was a symbol of our government’s attempt at getting our country away from depending so much on foreign oil.
President Ronald Reagan had the panels removed. He wanted to get rid of solar tax credits. Later, when it was suggested that they be put back up again, his press secretary Dale Petroskey said it would cost too much.
At least, though, in 2006 one panel found an appropriate home–at the Carter Library in Atlanta.
Happily, in 2013 President Obama had solar panels reinstalled.
No commentary from me…just a bit of sometimes-sunny American history.