Environment News: White House Goes Green With New Solar Panels, Other Initiatives
Just weeks after releasing a global climate change report, the White House does its little bit to transition towards green energy. This comes at the same time the Obama administration reinforces its support for more energy conservation and sustainable resources.
The White House announced on Friday that the president's residence finished installing solar panels on its roof. A statement said, "It's a clear sign of our commitment to energy efficiency." Though the administration has not provided many details about the panels, they have said the parts will be made in America, and it will pay for itself in eight years
White House spokesman Matt Lehrich described the installation in an email as "part of an energy retrofit that will improve the overall energy efficiency of the building. The retrofit includes the installation of energy-saving equipment such as updated building controls and variable speed fans, as well as 6.3 kilowatts of solar generation."
Since 2010, the White House has been installing the solar panels when it decided to resume President Jimmy Carter's work, according to the Washington Post. President Carter installed the panels during his administration, but President Reagan removed them when his administration began..
The administration is also announcing a new initiative to shift towards using sustainable energy in federal buildings by 2016. It will use $2 billion for this project. This year the administration will also approve the industry's newest commercial building energy code, which is 8.5 percent more efficient, according to the Post.
The President announced the new initiatives at a Wal-Mart, which has made a commitment to double the solar projects it will have in stores and distribution centers by 2020. The Department of Energy also announced that it passed two new efficiency rules on Friday that would improve new electric motors and coolers and freezers. They will also launch a program with community colleges to help 50,000 workers enter the solar energy industry.
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