This symbolic installation was taken down in 1986 during the reagan presidency.
Reagan solar panels white house.
In 1986 when the price of energy was temporarily cheaper and americans minds were less focused on environmental issues president reagan ordered the panels removed from the white house roof.
It would take nearly 30 years for solar panels to be reinstalled at the white house under barack obama in 2014.
Reagan who didn t think much of solar energy also allowed the tax credit carter had instated to lapse.
George charles szego the engineer who persuaded carter to install the solar panels reportedly claimed that reagan s chief of staff donald t.
Under reagan funding was cut for the newly formed department of energy and in 1986 when the white house needed roof repairs under the solar thermal panels the reagan administration removed the panels and quietly decided to not reinstall them claiming it simply wasn t a cost effective option.
Reagan took solar panels off the white house july 17 2017 when the reagans moved into the white house in 1981 they inherited 32 solar panels generating carbon free electricity on the west wing roof.
See the description and trailer below.
In 1991 unity college an environmentally centered college in maine acquired the panels and later installed them on their cafeteria.
Regan felt that the equipment was just a joke and he had it taken down the panels were removed in 1986 when work was being done on the white house roof below the panels.
In 1979 jimmy carter in a forward looking move installed solar panels in the roof of the white house.