At the age of 92, President Carter’s dedication to solar energy came full circle when his family decided to convert 10 acres of their peanut farm into a 1.3 MW solar farm.
In the late 1970s Jimmy Carter, a peanut farmer from Plains, Georgia, became the first American president to champion solar energy as a key to energy independence. His bold initiatives set the stage for the future of renewable energy in the United States.
At the age of 92, President Carter’s dedication to solar energy came full circle when his family decided to convert 10 acres of their peanut farm into a 1.3 MW solar farm. Florida-based J&B Solar was chosen to build this impressive array.
The story of this collaboration began on February 8th, 2017, when President Carter and his family attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new solar project. Developed under a lease agreement with Atlanta-based SolAmerica, the project covered 10 acres and promised to produce over 55 million kWh of energy over the next 25 years. J&B Solar installed 200 concrete foundations, assembling aluminum racking, and positioning 3,852 polycrystalline solar panels. This setup was designed to generate more than half of the power needs for the residents of Plains, a small town with a population of 683.
Reflecting on this milestone, Carter, the soft-spoken 39th president, expressed his hope: “I hope that we’ll see a realization that one of the best ways to provide new jobs — good-paying and productive and innovative jobs — is through the search for renewable sources of energy.”
Carter’s presidency laid the groundwork for the solar industry. A former nuclear submarine officer with a background in science, he understood the potential of advanced technology. In 1977, amidst an energy crisis, he established the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) in Golden, Colorado, and set an ambitious goal to install solar energy in over two and a half million homes by 1985. He even installed solar panels on the White House, a symbolic act of “walking the talk.”
Today, the photovoltaic industry thrives on a global scale, driven by more than just government incentives. The collaboration on the Carter family farm is a testament to the enduring impact of these trailblazers, showing how far we’ve come and how much potential lies ahead.
Josh Bessette is president and CEO of J&B Solar.
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