Two countries down, 194 more to go

We’re shifting the power at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave – shifting to solar power, that is.

Four years after President Obama pledged to go solar, the White House announced last Friday that the President’s new rooftop solar system is finally up. The 6.3 kilowatt system is a similar size to what the average American household would install. What environmental benefits will the First Family generate from going solar?

Over 20 years, their 6.3 kW system will offset the equivalent of:*

• 250,000 lbs of greenhouse gas emissions
• 3,000 trees planted
• 280,000 car miles

And, they get to be cool like Bo.

The much-anticipated installation proves that anyone can go solar, whether you’re the President or the President’s dog. “Solar panels at the White House are a really important message that solar is here, we are doing it, we can do a lot more,” Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said.

This announcement is a culmination of the Globama campaign, in which we partnered with 350.org and others to collect 50,000+ signatures urging the President to go solar. President Obama isn’t the first Head of State to power his residence with sunshine: President Nasheed from the Maldives installed a PV system on his official residence in 2010. Sungevity donated and installed the system, then helped launch the non-profit Solar Head of State to encourage more world leaders to join the movement.

Two countries down, 194 more to go. Shine on!

*Offset calculations are based on EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator estimates and NREL’s PVWatts Calculator

It’s been a long road…

Solar on the White House did not happen over night. In fact, it’s been quite a haul. On Earth Day 2010, Danny Kennedy, co-founder of Sungevity, presented President Obama with his own iQuote and the offer of a free solar array for the White House from Sungevity.

The campaign did not take a break after the presentation of his iQuote. Soon after Earth Day, President Obama visited the Bay Area (in part to tour the renewable energy industry). The Globama street team was out in force to support Solar on the White House.

Months later, Sungevity partnered up with Bill McKibben and 350.org to strengthen our campaign. 350’s putsolaronit.com campaign and solar road trip (culminating with a White House interview) initially looked like it may be rejected by the White House, but it must have sparked something. A few short weeks later, Energy Secretary Chu announced that yes, the White House will again be installing solar on the roof!

At Sungevity, the excitement Chu’s announcement has caused is palpable. This is exactly the kind of statement that the administration needs to make to the Nation, and the rest of the world: It’s time for renewable energy, and we will be leaders. Thank you to everyone who made this happen. Your hard work and persistence is what drove this campaign. There are brighter days ahead.

Shine on!

Obama to Return Solar Panels to White House, Chu Says

From Business Week:

Oct. 5 (Bloomberg) — President Barack Obama will have solar panels put back on the roof of the White House to demonstrate that renewable-energy technology is practical for U.S. homeowners, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said.

“The White House will lead by example,” Chu said today at a conference in Washington. In addition to photovoltaic panels to generate electricity, a solar hot-water heater will be installed for the White House residence quarters.

President Jimmy Carter had solar panels installed on the White House 31 years ago. They were later taken down by Carter’s successor, Ronald Reagan. Solar-energy advocates have pressed Obama to return solar panels to the White House as a symbol of his commitment to renewable energy.

“The White House did the right thing, and for the right reasons: They listened to the Americans who asked for solar on their roof, and they listened to the scientists and engineers who told them this is the path to the future,” Bill McKibben, an environmental activist who led rallies calling for Obama to act, said today in a statement.

Sungevity Inc., a closely held solar company based in Oakland, California, began a “Solar on the White House” campaign earlier this year.

The Energy Department will hold a competitive procurement process to choose the company that will install the solar systems, the department said in a statement. The cost will depend on that process, according to Christine Glunz, a spokeswoman for the Council on Environmental Quality.

Chu also said today that the U.S. is on course to meet Obama’s goal of doubling manufacturing capacity for renewable energy by 2012.

Globama!

Today we awoke in the Maldives ready to install panels on President Nasheed’s residence, the Mulee-aage. As the western world began to wake up we got a great bit of news from our own leader. After months of work building a coalition of solar companies and non-profit advocacy groups, the Globama campaign can claim victory to bringing solar back to the White House. Check out the story here.

We would like to thank all of our coalition members, especially 350.org, SEIA, ASES, Renewable Energy World, and the tens of thousands of supporters on facebook from around the world.

Yes we can! GLOBAMA!!!

Solar on the Muleaage House

Well, President Obama may not have accepted our offer of free solar panels, but President Nasheed did!

Sungevity hit the ground running in the Maldives yesterday. We’re there to install 11.5 kW of solar power on the roof of President Mohamed Nasheed’s residence, “Muleaage.”

President Nasheed accepted Sungevity’s offer to heads of state around the world to solar power their residences. The installation, the first of its kind in the capitol city of Malé, will help the Maldives meet its goal of 100% carbon neutrality by 2020.

The Maldives is at the epicenter of our planetary emergency. Its chain of 1192 islands would be inundated by a mere one-meter rise in sea levels, displacing its 400,000 residents and triggering a massive climate refugee crisis. The 48 solar panels will offset 195 tons of carbon and save the Maldives $300,000 in electricity costs over the life of the system. Sungevity is proud to support an outspoken climate change activist like President Nasheed and to help a developing nation transition to renewable energy.

Sungevity is designing, installing and supporting the system for free. From halfway around the world, Sungevity’s Remote Solar Design Team was able to configure the rooftop array. Now, a team of eight Sungevity installers are on the ground (or on the roof) at Muleaage installing the system. They’ll be joined up on the roof by President Nasheed on October 7, in observance of the 10/10/10 Global Work Party sponsored by Solar on the White House partner 350.org.

Sungevity is grateful for the generous support of our project partners: LG donated the panels; Ironridge donated the mounting system; and KACO donated the inverter.

Stay tuned throughout the week for daily updates on the installation and photos of this island paradise.

–Erica Etelson

Mark your calendar

10/10/10:  It’ a date you can’t easily forget, and a date organizers hope world leaders will remember when they head to the next round of climate talks next month in Cancun.

10/10/10 is a Global Work Party celebrating local climate solutions.  So far, local organizers have registered 5511 work parties in 181 countries.  Volunteers around the world will be planting community gardens and trees, offering free bicycle repairs, weatherizing buildings and, of course, installing solar panels.

Sungevity has had 10/10/10 on the calendar for a long time.  We’ll be in the Maldives installing solar panels on the roof of the President’s home.  Visit this blog next week for continuous coverage of the Solar on the Maldivian White House installation.

What are you doing on 10/10/10?  Find work parties in your home town at 350.org.  The more people who participate, the stronger the message to Washington, D.C.: “Here’s what we’re doing about climate change–what are you doing?”

–Erica Etelson

Obama to McKibben: Not right now

This morning, the crew at 350.org met with White House officials to push for the installation of a Sungevity home solar system.  While the White House didn’t reject the offer outright, they told 350.org campaigners that any such decision would have to be part of the broader sustainability assessment the White House is undertaking.

350.org founder Bill McKibben had this to say after the disappointing meeting:  “They refused to take the Carter-era panel that we brought with us and said they would continue their deliberative process to figure out what is appropriate for the White House someday. I told them it would be nice to deliberate as fast as possible, since that is the rate at which the planet’s climate is deteriorating.”

It’s hard to imagine what the downside of a solar-powered White House could possibly be, and we expect that, sooner or later, President Obama will come around–our offer stands.

–Erica Etelson

Obama to McKibben: Let’s talk

We’re way excited about the news that the Obama administration has agreed to talk with Bill McKibben of 350.org about putting Sungevity solar panels on the White House.  You can read about it in The Atlantic.

Globama does Letterman

Bill McKibben was on David Letterman earlier this week to talk about climate change and the new push to put Solar on the White House.  Sungevity’s partner, 350.org, has made Solar on the White House a centerpiece of its efforts to build a grassroots movement to demand a clean energy future.

Sungevity launched the “Globama” Solar on the White House campaign in the spring.  If you haven’t yet, you can still sign the petition and enter an on-line competition to become the biggest Globamanator.

Solar on the White House Update

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Solar on the White House has gone global! With all of the great success we have seen in the United States and the support we have received internationally, the campaign has challenged several key world leaders to install solar on their homes with the help of 350.org.

Already, President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives has taken the lead and already pledged to install solar on his roof, all part of his country’s goal to become completely carbon neutral within ten years!

Visit the Put Solar On It website to add your weight to the movement.