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Sun Volt Solar

earth, the final frontier

Clean Energy, Clean Environment

We are at a cross roads in human history, we can choose to continue on as we have been, or we can make a change to improve our future and quite possibly the future for several generations to come. We are here to promote energy independence, a better environment, a secure future and a higher return on investment for your hard earned dollar. It is what I believe in, it is why I am in the solar business.

What ever happened to those solar panels Carter installed on the White House?

27 Jan 09 | Solar Hot Water

The short answer is, Reagan took them off.  After that, we sort of lost track of them.  Now, a couple of Swiss film makers tracked them down and made a movie about it.  It was back in May of 1979 when the first oil shock was still fresh in our memories that President Carter decided that solar power was the way to go.

The most interesting quote is this:

“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 ever undertaken by the American People…”

Of course, we all know that the panels were removed by President Reagan in 1986 because they weren’t necessary… oil is cheap, after all. Shortly after that, the federal tax incentives were canceled and the first US solar industry collapsed.

The documentary is called “A Road Not Taken” and was shown at the Maine International Film Festival in Waterville, last July. For more information, check out roadnottaken.info or moralequivalent.info. Incidentally, the White House solar panels ended up on the roof of a cafeteria at Unity College, in Maine. They, in turn auctioned them off in 2003 as the panels had reached the end of their useful life.

h/t Huffpo

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27 Jan 09 | Solar Hot Water | Comments (0)