In a highly significant move, photovoltaic panels and a solar water heating system are to be fitted to the roof of the White House.
US Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Council of Environmental Quality chair Nancy Sutley announced the plans yesterday as part of a demonstration project showing that US solar technologies are available, reliable and ready to install.
The plans reflect President Barack Obama’s strong commitment to solar power, says Energy Secretary Chu.
“President Obama has said the Federal Government has to lead by example in creating opportunity and jobs in clean energy,” adds Sutley.
The Department of Energy will now start a competitive procurement process to select the installation companies.
But the solar panels won’t be the first – former President Jimmy Carter installed solar panels in 1979 that were subsequently removed by Ronald Reagan during refurbishment, and more recently George W. Bush installed a system to generate power for the grounds and help heat the swimming pool.
Meanwhile, operations have started at the 80 MW Sarnia Solar Project in Ontario, Canada. The 950 acre plant housing 1.3 million thin film solar panels is being operated by manufacturer First Solar for energy company Enbridge.
The annual output of 120,000 MWh from the world’s largest operating photovoltaic facility will be sold to the Ontario Power Authority as part of a 20-year purchase agreement.
Back in the US, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland has announced an agreement to establish a 49.9 MW solar array on 500 acres of former strip-mined land.
The $250 million Turning Point Solar facility will be developed by New Harvest Ventures and Agile Energy, and has secured a 20-year purchase agreement from American Electric Power (AEP).
The site will be served by two Spanish solar power component manufacturers, Prius Energy and Isofoton, which have agreed to set up new manufacturing facilities in the state.
And finally, European power-electronic company and the Indian solar developer Electrotherm are joining forces on plans to install 100 MW of solar power in India over the next three years.
The first projects will be a 15 MW installation in the state of Gujarat later this year, followed by a 30 MW installation in Rajasthan early next year.