O’Panel O’Panel, Where Art Thou: How Obama Could REALLY Solve the Energy Crisis

Posted by Tisha Morris on April 6, 2009

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.)