![\"President](\"https:\/\/ichef-1.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/1292E\/production\/_96587067_040192348.jpg\")
<\/p>\nUS President Donald Trump has told supporters that his proposed wall along the border with Mexico could have solar panels fixed to it.<\/p>\n
Addressing a rally in Iowa, he said the panels would provide cheap energy and help to pay for the controversial wall.<\/p>\n
He suggested the plan was his own, saying: “Pretty good imagination, right? Good? My idea.”<\/p>\n
However, solar panels have been included in designs for the wall submitted by companies.<\/p>\n
During his campaign, Mr Trump pledged to build a wall along the Mexican border to stop illegal immigration and drug trafficking.<\/p>\n
He insisted he would make Mexico foot the bill, but President Enrique Pe\u00f1a Nieto has dismissed the idea.<\/p>\n
Mr Trump told cheering supporters at a campaign-style rally in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday that he would “give you an idea that nobody has heard about yet”.<\/p>\n
“We’re thinking of something that’s unique, we’re talking about the southern border, lots of sun, lots of heat. We’re thinking about building the wall as a solar wall, so it creates energy and pays for itself. And this way, Mexico will have to pay much less money, and that’s good, right?”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
He added: “Solar wall, panels, beautiful. I mean actually think of it, the higher it goes the more valuable it is. Pretty good imagination right? Good? My idea.”<\/p>\n
More than 200 companies have reportedly responded to an invitation from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to submit designs for the wall.<\/p>\n
Among them was one from Gleason Partners in Las Vegas that proposed a wall of steel, cement and solar panels.<\/p>\n
In April, US media reported that President Trump had raised the idea with Republican Congressional leaders in talks at the White House.<\/p>\n
Two academics also suggested the idea of a solar panelled wall in an article for the Wall Street Journal in March.<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
US President Donald Trump has told supporters that his proposed wall along the border with Mexico could have solar panels fixed to it. Addressing a rally in Iowa, he said the panels would provide cheap energy and help to pay for the controversial wall. He suggested the plan was his own, saying: “Pretty good imagination, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[107],"tags":[264,8475,3457],"yoast_head":"\n