FPL Ready to Open Nation's Largest PV Power Plant

By Ucilia Wang

Florida Power & Light (FPL) is eager to claim ownership of the largest photovoltaic power plant in the country.

The utility said it plans to start delivering electricity from a 25-megawatt power plant in Arcadia later this month. The plant uses the solar panels and trackers from San Jose, Calif.-based SunPower (SPWRA).

FPL announced the project, called DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center, last year. It will have roughly 90,000 panels and located on 180 acres.

The 14-megawatt solar farm at the Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada has been the largest solar-panel installation in the United States. The project came online in late 2007 and used solar panels from SunPower.

MMA Renewable Ventures, which has since been bought by Fotowatio, owns and operates the Nellis plant and sells the power to the Air Force under a 20-year agreement.

SunPower also is building a 10-megawatt project for FPL at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Construction is scheduled for completion in 2010.

FPL also is building a 75-megawatt solar thermal steam plant that will sit next to an existing combined-cycle power plant near Indiantown. The plant would use curved mirrors, called parabolic troughs, to concentrate and direct the sunlight to heat up oil for steam production. The steam then goes to a turbine at the combined-cycle power plant for power production.

FPL hired Lauren Engineers & Constructors in Abilene, Texas, to build the solar thermal steam plant. Lauren also built the 64-megawatt solar thermal power plant called Nevada Solar One.

The solar thermal project also is scheduled for completion next year.

FPL estimated that building all three solar power plants would cost about $688 million.

Comments

[Longinvestor:]

Very good article and links. In my view, solar power will become a very significant player in the energy sector. Sooner rather than later.

Oct 08 12:25 PM