After years of delay, solar panels are back on the White House rooftop.

Panels were originally placed on the White House by U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who had a solar hot water system installed in 1979.But they were taken back off again President Ronald Reagan in 1986, who claimed the solar installation “didn't befit a super-power”.

Now, 4 years since their re-approval by US President Barack Obama, the White House now sports a new array of panels.

The solar installation is part of a broader energy re-fit at the White House, which officials say demonstrates it the possibilities of introducing renewable energy in historic buildings.

Showing the sluggishness in getting anything done in US politics, President Obama was forced to bypass a deadlocked Congress and provide $2bn funding for energy-saving measures using his executive authority

The fund will cover a number of federal government buildings, and set up new financing and training programmes for solar installations.

The US President also announced more than 300 organisations in the public and private sector have committed to accelerating the deployment of solar power and energy efficiency investments.

“The commitments represent more than 850 megawatts of solar deployed – enough to power nearly 130,000 homes – as well as energy efficiency investments that will lower bills for more than 1 billion square feet of buildings,” says the White House blog. 

“Additionally, the President announced new executive actions that will lead to $2 billion in energy efficiency investments in Federal buildings.

“Smarter appliances that will cut carbon pollution by more than 380 million metric tons – equivalent to taking 80 million cars off the road for one year – and will save businesses nearly $26 billion on their energy bills; and training programs at community colleges across the country that will assist 50,000 workers to enter the solar industry by 2020.”

Obama will soon announce a new funding scheme to reduce the cost of solar panels for multi-family houses, and new programmes to train solar installers at community colleges.

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