A group from Unity College is headed for Washington, D.C., to return a solar panel installed on the White House roof in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter, and taken down during the Reagan administration.

A group from Maine's Unity College is headed to the White House today to return a solar panel installed more than 20 years ago by President Jimmy Carter and removed during Ronald Reagan's administration.

The panel is one of several installed on the White House roof in 1979 by Carter, an alternative energy advocate. After being removed by Ronald Reagan, the panels eventually made their way to Unity College, which focuses its curriculum on  environmental issues.

Sixteen of the panels were used to heat water in the school's cafeteria until 2003, when they wore out. The group is bringing back one of the panels in an effort to encourage President Obama to reinstall solar atop the White House.

Joining the group is author and environmental activist Bill McKibben, who is urging Obama to mount a new set of panels on the White House. More information on the trip can be found online at http://putsolaron.it/road-trip.