Just recently, solar electricity earned itself another point in the journey to prove itself the smartest energy source on the market. Though solar has always been a cleaner way to generate electricity than nuclear power, it just recently became the more affordable way. At 16 cents per kWh, solar and nuclear met on the price scale, with solar energy decreasing in price and nuclear energy increasing. The rising price of nuclear is due to increased construction costs while the decreasing price of solar is due to the growing efficiency of manufacturing photovoltaic panels, but, even more noticeably, a huge rise in public interest for solar, promoting excellent financing and incentive opportunities for home and business owners interested in going solar. Solar has become not only the clean, green energy solution, but also the affordable energy solution.

And although the recent outcome on climate legislation (or lack thereof) from the senate was certainly disappointing, solar is still making a face for itself in the nation’s capital. There is a large campaign movement, from multiple quarters, to help America symbolize its readiness to make the switch to a green, solar powered future by putting solar electricity on the White House. One campaign is called Globama. Using a petition (which has started to gain national attention and press), the campaign is solely trying to get solar panels back on the roof of the white house. Another campaign, backed by Bill McKibben’s Vermont based 350.org, is going for a broader approach. The campaign, called Put Solar On It, is urging leaders all over the world to show support for the solar effort by leading their countries to a solar future and putting solar on their roofs. The whole thing is part of the larger 10/10/10 movement, a day in which the world can celebrate climate activism by planning an event to help deal with global warming locally and nationally. Events include solar and wind installations, bike rides, tree planting, trash pick-up, and so many more! It would truly be a great symbol of support for the climate movement if Obama was to choose to put solar on the White House.

But the White House isn’t the only good solar location in D.C. Just recently it was announced that groSolar, a Vermont based company with an office in Jessup, MD, is working on a solar installation at Sidwell Friends School. groSolar is working with Chevy Chase based Common Cents Solar, which is a solar purchasing group that helps coordinate solar projects that benefit the local community. Common Cents Solar allows members of the community to purchase a share of the system, making it more affordable and available to community locations that will benefit the most from a solar system. Both Common Cents Solar and groSolar hope to be able to use the system to educate the students at Sidwell and the local community, extending into D.C., about the benefits of going solar – and just how easy it can be!