Florida Power & Light Co, a subsidiary of the FPL Group (NYSE: FPL), yesterday broke ground on what it says is the the first hybrid solar facility in the world.
The 75-megawatt (MW) Martin solar-thermal power station in Florida combines a
solar-thermal field with a combined-cycle natural gas power plant. It is expected to be completed in 2010.
The solar facility will consist of approximately
180,000 mirrors over roughly 500 acres of land. The mirrors will focus
sunlight to produce steam that will drive turbines, reducing the need
to burn natural gas during daylight hours.
The Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center will provide enough
power to serve about 11,000 homes. Over 30 years, the solar facility
will prevent the emissions of more than 2.75 million tons of greenhouse
gases, which is the equivalent of removing more than 18,700 cars from
the road every year for the life of the project, according to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency. The implementation of solar thermal
technology will also decrease fossil-fuel usage by approximately 41
billion cubic feet of natural gas and more than 600,000 barrels of oil.
The Martin facility is the largest of three solar projects FPL is building in Florida. With a combined total of 110 MW of emissions-free energy, the facilities will make Florida the No. 2 producer of solar energy nationwide.
In addition to the Martin facility, FPL will also build projects at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and one in Desoto County. These facilities will add 35 megawatts of solar photovoltaic capacity to the state.
FPL already operates the 310 MW Solar Electric Generating System in California’s Mojave Desert, which is the largest solar-thermal plant in the world.
In Related News…
Saratoga Springs, New York-based Atlantic Energy Solutions, Inc. (AESO.PK) announced that it is in negotiations with a West Coast Florida land owner to build a 50 MW photovoltaic (PV) solar power plant.
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