A recent USA Today report says that a group of solar companies, led by Sungevity, are offering free solar panels to the White House. The newspaper adds that solar panels had previously been installed on the White House by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, but were removed during the Reagan administration in 1986.
The coalition's website, SolarOnTheWhiteHouse.com, offers a glimpse of how much money would be saved if the White House did go solar.
According to the organization, a 17.85 kilowatt solar array could cut the White House electric bill by 81 percent - which in this particular case would mean utility savings of $1,610 per month. The roof array in question would involve 102 solar panels, each generating 175 watts.
The environmental benefit of a White House-sized project would also reportedly include 2,768 trees saved while offsetting carbon emissions equivalent to 1.5 million cars in a given year. The website also provides an online petition for people to sign if they want to try to convince the White House to go solar.
