White House announces latest solar initiatives just as new array goes online
Along with announcing that the White House's newest solar array has become operational, the administration has also revealed its latest set of solar and energy initiatives. The new presidential array covers only the part of the residence where the first family lives, and it generates just up to 6.3 kilowatts of energy. Yes, it can't supply all the White House's energy needs (it can pay for itself within eight years, though), but it demonstrates that solar panels can be successfully installed on federal buildings, which is one of its main purposes in the first place. You see, the president has earmarked an additional $2 billion in funds to make federal buildings more energy efficient within three years' time, and that includes outfitting them with solar arrays.
Also, the panels used for the White House were built in the US and installed by American laborers to prove that there are jobs in the industry. In fact, part of the new set of initiatives is supporting training programs for solar workers and building a skilled workforce. Other than that, the administration has issued new efficiency standards for appliances and building codes, as well as listed out the companies investing more into solar energy. In all, the government and its partner companies could deploy up to 850 megawatts of solar (apparently, enough to power 130,000 homes) by the time they meet their goals. For now, you can read the administration's plan in its entirety on the White House website.
