In June, 1979, President Jimmy Carter proposed a "new solar strategy" to "move our Nation toward true energy security and abundant, readily available energy supplies." In an effort to set an example for the country, Carter had solar panels installed on the roof of the White House West Wing. The panels were used to heat water for the staff mess and other areas of the White House.

The White House solar panels were a symbol of the Carter Administration’s commitment to reduce America’s dependence of foreign sources of energy, according to Hakes, who was the Administrator of the Energy Information Administration at the U.S. Department of Energy during the Clinton presidency. "Behind that was a whole package of tax incentives, research and development and loans that made it much more than a symbol," Hakes added. "There was actually a very substantive attempt to move ahead the expanded use of solar energy."

President Ronald Reagan took the solar panels down in 1986 when the White House roof was being repaired.

wis.dm - Ronald Reagan removed the solar panels on the White House's roof installed by Jimmy Carter. Can you think of anything more stupid?

Why?

The Reagan Administration says it will not replace a solar water-heating system that was installed in the White House in the Carter Administration.

The panels of the system had been dismantled to fix the roof underneath. Dale A. Petroskey, a White House spokesman, said Friday, ''Putting them back up would be very unwise, based on cost.''

or

President Reagan took the solar hot water panels off the Whitehouse roof because he did not support the solar energy industry.

At the time Reagan said, “That’s enough of that!” when he ordered their removal. The act was symbolic. Between 1981 and 1986, the Reagan administration cut funding for renewable energy research and public renewable energy tax credits by 90%. His election campaign was strongly backed by the US oil and energy industry.