O’Panel O’Panel, Where Art Thou: How Obama Could REALLY Solve the Energy Crisis
President Obama ran his campaign primarily on the slogan of “Change.” And for the most part, so far, he has lived up to this campaign promise while still staying within the presidential box. At the top of his agenda of change has been the energy crisis.
Obama has been particularly vociferous about reducing our energy dependence as a way to resolve domestic and international problems. In fact, he stated, “If I am President, I will immediately direct the full resources of the federal government and the full energy of the private sector to a single, overarching goal – in ten years, we will eliminate the need for oil from the entire Middle East and Venezuela.” Well, Mr. President, I have the solution: Install Solar Panels on the White House.
In my recent post, Why Don’t We Have Solar Panels On All Roofs, I pondered just that question — Why don’t we have solar panels on all roofs. In doing so, we not only eliminate our dependence on oil, but coal. This would allow everyone of us to be living off the grid and in complete harmony with Mother Earth. It didn’t take me long to ask the next question– Why doesn’t the White House have solar panels?
If President Obama really wants to walk the walk in regards to new energy technology, then this is the way.
Through legislation, federal and state governments are encouraging the use of solar panels. For example, the federal government is offering a 30% tax credit for homeowners who install solar panels or solar water heaters through 2016. This credit covers materials and installation costs with no ceiling on claims. At the state level, as reported in USA Today, in More States Want Solar Panel to Be an Option on New Homes, a growing number of states are requiring builders to offer solar electricity and hot water as an upgrade option, right alongside granite countertops. But legislation is not enough.
In my article, what I discovered as the answer to why we don’t have solar panels on all roofs is simply cost. For example, I calculated it to cost $85,000 to install solar panels on my 2000sf home. This sort of reminds me of the cost of big screen TVs in the ‘80s, laptop computers in the ‘90s, and smart phones in the 2000s. As I learned in Econ 101, once demand rises, competition increases and prices dramatically fall. This will be the case with solar panels. So how do we get demand to increase?
The need is already here. We have just gotten used to the idea of paying for oil and electricity when we could be getting it for free from the Sun. So awareness and buzz must be the driving force for the demand. What better place to start than the White House. If the White House were to install solar panels, the buzz of this around the globe would be phenomenal.
Once it became known just how much these panels are saving in taxpayer dollars, not only will Obama be seen as an energy hero, but every household will start inquiring, “Why don’t we have solar panels on our roof?” Not to mention the pentagon, other government buildings, and the Obama motorcade.
What about the cost of installing solar panels on the White House, you ask? There has already been much debate as to whether the Obama’s should foot the bill for redecorating the White House. As an interior designer and feng shui consultant, my personal opinion is that the White House is in dire need of not only redecorating (I’ve seen the pictures), but a space clearing (would you want to share the same energy as the former administration?).
It is in our best interest as citizens that the Obama’s create a living space in which they can optimally live and work. That being said, the Obama’s could use a portion of their decorating budget to foot the bill for the solar panels. I would guess that there are many budding solar panel contractors that would love to be credited for installing the White House solar panels in exchange for a considerable discount. Not to mention the 30% tax credit that President Obama will receive come tax time! As for me, I will be happy to offer my feng shui and space clearing services to the Obama’s… ‘on the house’.
(As a footnote, President Carter installed solar panels on the West Wing in 1977 but they were removed in the 1980s.)
Why Don’t We Have Solar Panels on All Roofs?
It recently struck me as odd as to why we don’t have solar panels on all of our cars and homes. Is anyone else stunned by this? Afterall, solar-powered calculators were invented years ago, specifically 1978. This prompted me to do some research on the history of solar panels.
In fact, the first solar powered water heater was invented and patented in 1891 by Clarence Kemp. Throughout the early 20th Century more research was done by scientist, including Albert Einstein. In the 1940s, passive solar buildings actually became popular in the United States. The book, Your Solar House, was even published and featured 49 of the nation’s finest solar architects. But it was in 1954 when the photovoltaic technology was invented by Bell Labs. This PV technology was the first solar cell capable of running everyday electrical equipment, including the calculator!
Today’s solar panels use this same PV technology that has been around for centuries. The solar panels silently convert light into electricity. There are no moving parts. They require little maintenance and are designed to last for many years. Solar panels can supply a substantial proportion of the electricity needs of a typical household.
How do Solar Panels Work?
They are often mounted on the roof or on the ground and connected to the local electric utility, either supplying all the power directly to the home or pumping the excess back to the utility. Apart from reducing your utility electricity bill homeowners can often sell any surplus electricity directly back to the utility at an attractive rate.
Solar panels are also used for commercial applications ranging from large-scale power plants to small family-run businesses. The applications are almost endless, but each has the same idea in mind: harnessing the power of the sun to make clean, affordable electricity.
Are Solar Panels Available Near You?
I then did a search on the availability of solar panels. There are many companies that manufacture solar panels. Finding someone to install them however may be more challenging. I did a local search to see if I could find someone in my area. (Nashville isn’t exactly the green capital, although it is doing much better.) By googling “Solar Panel Installation Nashville” I found at least one reputable company that could install solar panels on my house.
So, again, why don’t we all have solar panels on our roofs?
Cost. Based on the website estimate calculator of the TN contractor, it would cost approximately $85,000 to install enough solar panels to cover all my electricity needs (based on a 2000sf house). That’s a far cry from the free solar-powered calculator. There is however an attractive 30% federal tax credit for the total solar cost. So, that would really be $59,500. Taking my electricity bill of approximately $200/month into account, it would pay for itself in 25 years. However, if it were financed over 30 years along with the house, then it wouldn’t seem as daunting.
Hope for the Future!
Many new homes, particularly in areas such as New Orleans that are rebuilding with green design in mind, are in fact building the homes with solar panels. As demand grows, so will competition. And with increased competition, the prices will inevitably go down. Already demand has increased over the last few years as more people are either seeking to be off the grid or wanting to be less reliant on utility companies. In fact, even Home Depot now sells and installs solar panels! Go to Home Depot for more information.
Ultimately we are all tuning into the fact that there is an unlimited energy source beaming down at us on a daily basis. Why not harness that energy AND without harm to the environment?
For other resources, visit www.evergreensolar.com and www.globalgreen.org.
