Giving New Meaning to The Sunshine State

The Florida Public Service Commission has approved Florida Power & Light Company’s (FPL) plan for three solar power plants to be built in the state. This action aligns with Governor Crist’s commitment to promoting renewable energy, but what are the details and what’s in it for the state of Florida and our struggling economy?

The 411

DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center

This project, to be built on FPL property in DeSoto County, will be the world’s largest photovoltaic solar facility. What does that mean? Readers of our Green Glossary know that photovoltaic cells absorb direct sunlight and convert them to energy. This plant will produce 25 megawatts of photovoltaic solar capacity – enough to power 7,000 homes.

The DeSoto project is scheduled to begin by the end of 2008 and finish by the end of next year. SunPower Corp of California has been contracted to build the plant. Currently, the largest photovoltaic solar facility in North America is the 14 megawatt facility at the Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada; it was also built by SunPower.

The Martin County Next Generation Solar Energy Center

This plant, to be built on the east coast of Florida, will be the largest solar thermal plant outside of California. (A plant in the Mojave Desert developed by FPL’s sister company, Florida Power and Light Energy, is the largest.) Construction is scheduled to begin by the end of 2008 and the facility is pegged to be operational by the end of 2009. It will connect to the company’s existing combined-cycle power plant, making it the first hybrid solar facility in the world. The 75-megawatt facility will aim 180,000 mirrors at the skies above western Martin County and will generate enough electricity to power 11,000 homes.

How does this solar thermal plant differ from the DeSoto photovoltaic solar facility?  Solar thermal systems use mirrors or lenses as collectors to enable electric power production. This is different from solar photovoltaics, which convert solar energy directly into electricity.

The Space Coast Next Generation Solar Energy Center

This project at the Kennedy Space Center will provide 10 megawatts of photovoltaic solar capacity in an innovative public-private partnership. SunPower Corp has also been selected to build this facility. Work is projected to begin in early 2009 and complete in 2010.

Is it worth it?

Estimated capital cost of the projects totals about $688 million. The impact on the average consumer’s bill (those using 1,000 kwh or less) is estimated to be just under a dollar each month.

Why is FPL making this move if solar power provides relatively little energy compared to traditional methods? For comparison purposes, FPL’S nuclear power plant at Turkey Point produces 1,400 megawatts of nuclear energy and enough electricity for 450,000 homes. However, solar energy, while not perfect, is an emissions-free, renewable source of energy. It is “clean” energy and will remove at least a percentage of our dependence on foreign oil.  Unlike fossil fuel sources, wind and solar energy will never run out.

These projects are also happening because Governor Crist has mandated that Florida power companies get at least 20% of their energy from renewable sources. And while FPL is hopeful that its nuclear power plants will fall under the renewable category in the future, they currently do not. The megawatts from the plants listed above represent only about 0.4% of the amount of megawatts needed to meet the 20% target. If, however, regulators include nuclear power within their definition of renewable energy, FPL renewable energy production would be within a fraction of the mandated target.

Politicking aside, the three sites combined will prevent the release of nearly 3.5 million tons of greenhouses gases. Think of this as removing 25,000 cars from the road per year. Photovoltaic solar systems consume no fuel, use no water, and produce no waste. Solar thermal systems use no fossil fuel, no additional cooling water and produce zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Going forward…