Jimmy Carter’s Epic Solar Farm Now Powers Half the City

Did you know that Jimmy Carter was the first president to put solar panels on the White House in 1979.”It can be just a small part of one of the greatest and most exciting adventures ever undertaken by the American people,” he said at the time. @CarterLibrary #WednesdayWisdom pic.twitter.com/zzG8UuTSK1

— Coastal Solar (@CoastalSolarLLC) September 19, 2018

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who was one of the earliest advocates for using renewable energy, installed water heating solar panels on the roof of the White House in 1979, during his administration. Unfortunately, the next President, Ronald Reagan, ordered them to be removed, as he had a different take on energy consumption. However, that didn’t hinder Carter’s dedication to providing clean, efficient energy to the public. In 2017, the 94-year-old leased 10 acres of land near his hometown in Plains, Georgia, to be used as an epic solar farm.

Comprising 3,852 panels, Carter’s solar field now generates 1.3 MW of power per year, providing 50% of the small town’s electricity needs (that’s the equivalent of burning about 3,600 tons of coal). “Distributed, clean energy generation is critical to meeting growing energy needs around the world while fighting the effects of climate change,” says Carter. “I am encouraged by the tremendous progress that solar and other clean energy solutions have made in recent years and expect those trends to continue.”

Carter worked together with Atlanta-based energy company SolAmerica to make his solar field a reality. “There remains a great deal of untapped potential in renewable energy in Georgia and elsewhere in the U.S.,” says SolAmerica executive Vice President George Mori. “We believe distributed solar projects like the Plains project will play a big role in fueling the energy needs of generations to come.”

The ambitious project symbolizes Carter’s personal commitment to renewable energy and pays homage to his first solar panel installation in 1979. The 39th president’s 32 White House solar panels are currently on display at The Smithsonian Institute, the Carter Library, and the Solar Science and Technology Museum in Dezhou, China.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter leased 10 acres of land near his hometown in Plains, Georgia, to be used as an epic solar farm.

Our 39th President, Jimmy Carter, has a solar farm that was completed back in 2017 and helps supply 50% of energy to his hometown in Plains, Georgia.

Interested in solar? Contact us! https://t.co/X8PCO2uUtL

Click link to learn more:https://t.co/ctMAiAd5Ry pic.twitter.com/iK8KsLHsw6

— Kiss Solar Sunny (@SolarSunny3) February 19, 2020

The ambitious project pays homage to his first solar panel installation at the White House in 1979.

Comprising 3,852 panels, Carter’s solar farm now provides 50% of the small town’s electricity needs.

h/t: [Reddit]

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