Solar power at the White House

Mechanical engineer Fred Morse was approached by the Richard Nixon administration to assess the potential of solar power.

[1] The panels could not alter or change the look of the house, and were ultimately white as opposed to a darker colour for aesthetic reasons.

[1] The Carter administration increased the budget for the development of energy technology research and introduced tax credits for solar power.

The panels were made by InterTechnology/Solar Corp. from Warrenton, Virginia and installed by Hector Guevara of Alternate Energy Industries Corp.[2] At the dedication ceremony for the panels, President Carter said, "In the year 2000 this solar water heater behind me, which is being dedicated today, will still be here supplying cheap, efficient energy ... 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".

[1] The panels provided almost 75 percent of the energy to heat 1,000 gallons of water in the staff kitchen of the White House.

One hundred and sixty-seven solar photovoltaic grid-tied panels were installed at the same time on the roof of the maintenance facility.