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October 8, 2009
Juno
Beach, FL, USA: FPL Prepares to Power up 25MW Solar PV System
Florida
Power & Light Company expects the DeSoto Next Generation Solar
Energy Center in Arcadia, Fla., to begin delivering electricity
to customers later this month – ahead of schedule.
The
facility will overtake Nevada’s Nellis Solar Power Plant for the
title of largest solar photovoltaic solar facility in the nation
and in North America. Constructed in less than a year, the DeSoto
Next Generation Solar Energy Center uses over 90,000 photovoltaic
panels to turn the sun's rays into electricity to power more than
3,000 homes.
The
DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center is one of three new
commercial-scale, renewable, solar power plants FPL is building
in Florida, along with solar energy centers in Martin County and
at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Together, these will total 110
megawatts of capacity by the end of 2010 and are expected to make
Florida the second largest solar power-producing state in the
country.
“Large-scale
solar projects such as FPL’s DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy
Center provide Florida with the opportunity to create and attract
more clean-energy jobs and produce millions of dollars in new
revenue for local governments while reducing greenhouse gas emissions
and fighting the effects of climate change,” said FPL Vice President
and Chief Development Officer Eric Silagy. “FPL is proud to lead
the development of clean, renewable solar energy in Florida, and
we are positioned to build even more over the next two to three
years if the state’s legislative and regulatory leaders continue
to support solar energy.”
Over
the past year, the facility benefited the local economy in DeSoto
County by creating more than 400 jobs during construction. The
county will also receive annual tax revenues that will amount
to $2 million for schools and other local services by the end
of next year. Solar photovoltaic power also provides significant
environmental benefits because the facility consumes no fuel,
uses no water and produces no waste.
Further details about: Florida Power
& Light Company
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