Florida to Build First Solar Powered City in U.S.
The first 100% solar powered city in the U.S. is in the works, and will be powered by the world’s largest photovoltaic plant.
The eco-city, called Babcock Ranch, is a joint venture between a real estate developer, Kitson & Partners, and Florida Power & Light, and will be located near Fort Myers, Florida.
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Babcock Ranch will include almost 20,000 houses and 6 million square feet of mixed retail, office, and light industrial space, and have city-wide wireless internet and electric car charging stations throughout.
The city will be fully powered by solar during the day, and produce an excess of electricity that will be exported to the grid. The CEO of Kitson said the project will serve as a model to other communities and be a “living laboratory for companies, workers and families ready to reap the rewards of innovation.”
Florida Power & Light expects to break ground on the $400 million solar PV plant this year, pending regulatory approval. Construction of Babcock Ranch is slated for the summer of 2010.
The project’s cost is estimated at $2 billion, and is expected to create 20,000 jobs.
Image: markus941 at Flickr under CC License
Just think! When oil is over $150 a bbl and coal is more than double its current price, when Asia is competing for both on the world markets with a strong Yuan against our deeply indebted dollar, the sun will still shine in Florida, the electricity will still flow, air-conditioning will still be possible, and life will go on! Great stuff! We need more solar energy developed in the U.S. while the sawbuck will still buy the equipment needed! The sun is a renewable, or perpetual resource, it just keeps coming up every day, no matter what , and never “runs dry” like and oil well and cannot be exhausted, and the price is the same every day - free! I like it!
OMG JUST WHEN I NEEDED IT! I was planning on moving to Florida when I get out of college and possibly having a solar powered house and being ecofriendly! If this actually happens my dream will come true!! I’m only in 8th grade but atleast I have a well thought out plan