白宫太阳能板工程完工 奥巴马带头用绿色能源

Technicians have finished installing solar panels on the White House roof, capping a project that President Obama hopes will send a signal that renewable energy is feasible and environmentally shrewd.

Obama said in 2010 that he would retrofit his family's new home with solar panels starting in 2011, then use the power generated to heat water for the first family and provide some electricity. But the project remained dark until late 2013, when the installation finally started.

Obama wants to use his personal example to spur families and businesses to do more to reduce reliance on foreign energy and cut emissions blamed for global warming. "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 in a video released by the White House.

The solar components, converters and the labor to install the panels were all domestic, according to the White House, which declined to name any of the companies involved in the project.

The panels are expected to generate 6.3 kilowatts of solar power whenever the sun shines, the White House said.

"Being at the White House, we do have some security concerns. We can't cover the entire roof, although that would be good from an energy savings standpoint," said James Doherty, the White House usher.

For some climate change activists, the years of delay underscored a lack of urgency. Bill McKibben of the environmental group 350.org said the project was symbolically significant, but also depressingly protracted.

"At this pace, we'll solve global warming right about the time that we're 30 feet under water," McKibben said in an interview.

Obama isn't the first president to deploy solar at the White House. President Jimmy Carter spent $30,000 on a solar water-heating system for West Wing offices in the late 1970s, but his successor, Ronald Reagan, tossed the panels after he moved in. President George W. Bush's solar systems powered a maintenance building and some of the mansion, plus provided heated water for the pool.

据美联社5月10日报道，白宫屋顶太阳能电池板安装工程已经完工，美国总统奥巴马希望能借此宣传可再生能源的切实可行和环保性。

奥巴马2010年就曾表示要在2011年给白宫安装太阳能板，利用太阳能为第一家庭供应热水和部分电力。不过，自此以后太阳能安装工程就迟迟没有下文，直到2013年后期才最终开始启动。

奥巴马希望以自己为榜样，激励美国家庭和企业采取更多措施减少对国外能源的依赖，并降低碳排放——全球变暖的罪魁祸首。在白宫发布的一则视频中，美国能源部长欧内斯特•莫尼兹说：“白宫的太阳能电池板释放了非常重要的信息，这里在用太阳能，我们正在这么做，而且还能做更多。”

白宫称，太阳能板组件、转换器和安装人员均来自美国国内，但拒绝透露任何参与工程的公司名字。

白宫预计安装的太阳能系统规模为6.3千瓦，但表示出于安全和其他考虑，不便透露安装太阳能板的总数和具体费用。“由于在白宫，我们的确有一些安全担忧。我们不能将整个屋顶都覆盖太阳能，尽管从节约能源的角度看这十分应该。”白宫管家詹姆斯•多尔蒂说。

不过，白宫太阳能板工程的蜗牛般施工进度让热心气候变化的人士认为缺乏紧迫感。环保组织“350.org”的创始人比尔•麦吉本表示白宫此举象征意义重大，但对施工拖延数年感到不悦。“以这样的速度，恐怕当解决全球变暖问题的时候，我们已经在水下30英尺了。”

奥巴马并非首位在白宫安装太阳能电池板的总统。上世纪70年代末石油危机爆发，时任美国总统吉米•卡特曾花3万美元在白宫西翼的办公室加装太阳能加热水系统。但其继任者罗纳德•里根入住白宫时拆除了这些太阳能板。此外，美国总统布什也在白宫实施过太阳能项目，曾用太阳能给部分建筑物供电及给游泳池供热水。