The world’s largest solar plant is about to be built in Florida. The construction will begin in June next year, and the entire project will cost approximately two billion dollars. A Florida utility company and a real estate developer intend to establish the United States’ first town powered completely by solar energy.
Florida Power & Light is having a joint venture with Kitson & Partners to build the world’s largest photovoltaic plant near Fort Myers.
19,500 houses and over 500,000 square meters of commercial spaces will be built in the city that will be named Babcock Ranch. The town will host companies from the light industry and office spaces.
“Babcock Ranch will be a living laboratory for companies, workers and families ready to reap the rewards of innovation,” said Syd Kitson, chief executive of Kitson & Partners, a company that will create 20,000 jobs.
This will be the first city that uses only solar energy throughout the day. The excess of power will be exported, according to a spokesman. Babcock Ranch will offer wireless Internet access to its inhabitants and will be equipped with electric car charging stations.
The construction will begin in June 2010 and the entire project could be ideal for the real estate market crisis. The 300-400 million dollars needed will not be taken from funds available through government incentive package.
I am truly glad that this is finally happening in the U.S. The city of Masdar in the U.A.E. is already underway, and you might be interested in searching to find out more. Is there any further information that is available about Babcock Ranch yet, or is everything still in the planning stages?
Let’s hope they pull this off successfully.
I didn’t think that there can be a city that is going to be powered by solar energy but suprising things always happen. Will certainly keep tabs on the progress of Babcock Ranch.
It is really interesting to see a city be powered the whole day by solar energy. Thanks for the info mike!
Muhd Noor
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