SOLAR CITY

FPL plans massive solar plant
Zac Anderson, April 9, 2009 (Sarasota Herald Tribune)

"Florida Power & Light announced plans… to build one of the world’s largest photovoltaic solar power plants on land owned by the struggling Babcock Ranch real estate venture.

"The development is another sign of the pressure Gov. Charlie Crist is putting on Florida’s big electric companies to increase their clean energy portfolios…[and] trying to pass legislation this year that would require electric companies to produce 20 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2020…"

Artist's rendering of the Solar City. (from Kitson, click to enlarge)

"Some renewable energy advocates questioned the timing [of the announcement]… saying FPL is trying to gain favor for renewable energy legislation that is more costly to consumers and favors large energy companies and large solar plants over small-scale solar production on homes and businesses…FPL’s vice president and chief development officer, Eric Silagy, dismissed the argument…

"Regardless of the politics involved, the announcement was a major coup for developer Syd Kitson’s massive Babcock Ranch deal, which has laid off employees and seen it’s debt rating drop in recent month as the market for new homes dried up…Half the [financing] came from Morgan Stanley, which is struggling…"

Artist's rendering of the Solar City. (from Kitson, click to enlarge)

"Kitson is now marketing the Babcock project as the world’s first community that will derive all its energy from the sun, and in the process he secured ringing endorsements from the nation’s top environmental groups…[although] Kitson may be basking in the glow of something FPL would have done regardless of Babcock because of pressure from Crist…

"Silagy said FPL is committed to the 75-megawatt project on 400 acres of Babcock land east of Fort Myers and Punta Gorda, even if homes are never built there. The energy would just be fed into the larger grid…Development on the $300 million solar plant should begin by the end of 2009…[Kitson] plans to begin building homes at Babcock by 2011…"