An Idea Whose Time Has Come (Back)
June 28, 2010
It all started in February with a solar blogger, Tom Valenza (@SolarFred), who proposed the idea that the 44th president should install solar panels on the White House roof, as the 39th had done back in 1979. The idea was taken up in April by a commercial company, Sungevity, which offered to donate the entire $100,000+ system (if the White House decided on a purchase plan) or lease it over ten years at a monthly rate of $537.
The President himself has said he thinks this is a ‘great idea’, and the White House has pinned its decision largely on the amount of public support the idea garners. It’s for this reason that Sungevity launched the ‘Globama’ campaign, calling for Americans to sign a petition urging President Obama to go ahead with the project. At time of writing, the campaign is well over half-way toward its target of 10,000 signatures.
Nothing New Under the Sun
You may remember that President Carter had a solar hot water system installed on the White House roof in 1979, a measure of his belief in both the promise of renewable energy and the need for it. Seven years later, during the Ronald Reagan ‘morning in America’ era, the panels were removed (they now provide hot water for the cafeteria at Unity College in Maine).
It would be difficult to understate the symbolic power of the declaration it would make to the American people, to the energy industry and to the world if the home of the first family again hosted a clean energy installation. It would bring much more strength and credibility to the President’s statements of support for clean energy legislation. It would work as a refutation of the fossil fuel-friendly attitudes that marked the Reagan years. And it would be the most publicly visible solar installation ever completed in this country, propelling Solar front and center into American consciousness. In fact, it’s difficult to see any downside to the whole idea.
Power from the People
If the White House decides there is enough citizen support for the ‘Globama’ campaign, installation could begin with very little delay. The most ideal time politically, of course, would be during the months leading up to this year’s Congressional elections. With energy production forefront in voters’ minds, largely thanks to the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster, Congresspersons can expect to have to answer a multitude of questions on the subject. If the Administration can point to the work being done on the White House roof as an example of the way forward, lawmakers who have been unfriendly to renewable energy may have a tough time with those answers.
June 29th, 2010 at 2:15 pm
I have gladly signed the petition, but what bothers me is that “The President himself has said he thinks this is a ‘great idea’, and the White House has pinned its decision largely on the amount of public support the idea garners by July 4th.” Of all Presidents (except perhaps Carter who did it), President Obama should NOT need to seek public support to do this, it’s simply the right thing to to. He should be setting the example and leading, not following IF their is enough support. I am very disappointed that he is taking such a position on this and NOT leading in this area.
June 30th, 2010 at 3:39 pm
Response to David:
There’s a wrinkle or two involved, as in - would the President bring on a problem by accepting a big gift like this from a private company (and if they can point to a large number of the public that is in favor of it, it will defuse that issue.) Or even, if the taxpayer pays for it, would that be a political liability? Neither of these fears makes sense, but we’re talking politics here and perception becomes reality!