In 1979, Jimmy Carter installed solar panels on the White House to promote energy independence, but after their removal by the Reagan administration, the panels ended up powering a Maine college and were later scattered across the U.S. and China as historical artifacts.
Austyn Gaffney reports for The New York Times.
In short:
- Carter’s solar panels, installed during the 1970s oil crisis, were meant to showcase renewable energy’s potential.
- Unity College in Maine acquired the panels in 1991 and used them to heat water until 2010, highlighting the school’s environmental mission.
- Some panels became museum exhibits, including at the Smithsonian and a solar museum in China, while others remain with Unity College.
Key quote:
“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…
