In an effort to save customers millions of dollars long term, Florida Power & Light recently announced they will be opening eight new solar-energy plants by early 2018. These new plants should combine to create almost 600 megawatts of power, which is enough to provide power to approximately 120,000 homes during peak demand time.
Green Tech Media predicts an increase of 1900 percent in the solar power production capacity of the state over the next five years. Due to its geographic location, the amount of sunlight Florida receives makes solar energy a sound bet for the state. Florida Power & Light has already brought the Manatee Solar Energy Center, the Babcock Ranch Solar Energy Center in Charlotte County and the Citrus Solar Energy Center in DeSoto County to add to the electric supply grid in an effort to take advantage of this.
Why the Sudden Acceleration?
The newly created 8 facilities will be able to take the load of about 120,000 families off the conventional production cycles if they operate optimally. This is a big help for the state and offers improved power stability for the consumers. Construction of these new plants will also provide jobs to the region as construction is expected to be done quickly. While natural gas will still be used to provide the bulk of energy for the state, this is an opportunity to diversify the fuel sources used.
Alachua, Putnam and DeSoto counties have already been picked as final sites for four of the new plants. The locations of the additional new solar power plants have not yet been revealed but are being built now because new solar facilities are cost effective.
At Central Metal Fabricators, we are a market leader for gas turbine silencers and components since 1948. For more information please contact us here.