It has been quite some time since we last heard anything about Donald Trump’s plans to build a wall. It is evident the Mexican government will not pay for this project under any circumstance. In fact, this has forced Trump to come up with an entirely different plan to make this idea become a reality. His new idea revolves around using solar panels on the wall to lower the construction costs.
Trump Feels Solar Panels Will Help Fund the Wall
One does not simply build a wall on the border between the United States and Mexico. The idea has always been ludicrous, and it looks as if realizing this project will become only more difficult as time progresses. President Trump’s plan to create this wall is stuck in the planning stages, as the money for construction will need to come from somewhere. Rest assured the Mexican government will not partake in this funding process.
Back to the drawing board it was, and it looks as if a new plan of action has been formed. According to the BBC, the new plan revolves around using solar panels to make this wall pay for itself. That is a rather controversial decision, even though it makes a lot of sense. Solar panels can generate a lot of electricity, especially in sun-laden areas such as the border between the US and Mexico. A bold plan, but a solid one, assuming it can be achieved.
The choice of solar panels is a lot more controversial than most people realize, though. Up until this point, President Trump has not shown any big interest in climate change or renewable energies. Then again, solar panels are quite a lucrative form of generating electricity and making projects pay for themselves over time. Moreover, this “change of heart” will result in Mexico eventually paying less for the wall, which is an interesting outcome.
What is rather interesting is how over 200 companies already submitted their proposals and designs to build this “solar wall”. All information is collected by the Department of Homeland Security, and it will be interesting to see how things will play out. President Trump claims this whole idea was his, without any involvement from any of his advisors. Whether or not that is what actually happened, remains anybody’s guess for now.
All of this goes to show President Trump is not planning to give up on his idea to build a wall between the two countries. Such a wall should curb immigration from Mexico to the US. Whether or not a solar wall will be as intimidating as a regular one, remains to be seen. Moreover, it is possible someone may try to tap the solar wall’s batteries and use the electricity for different purposes. This is something that could occur on both sides of the border, mind you, which would create a whole new set of problems.
The bigger question is whether or not President Trump still wants to curb remittances between the US and Mexico. Right now, there is no mention of such a plan, which is quite surprising. Even if that was still on the agenda, it is highly unlikely this wall – solar panel-based or otherwise – would successfully do so. Currencies such as Bitcoin can be used to bypass artificial limitations associated with money transfers without any problems.