75MW SOLAR-NAT GAS HYBRID ON

FPL unveils world's first hybrid solar energy center
March 5, 2011 (Florida Power & Light Company)

"Florida Power & Light Company…[inaugurated] the first hybrid solar power plant in the world – FPL’s Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center.

"Spanning approximately 500 acres in western Martin County, Fla., this one-of-a-kind hybrid facility connects a field of more than 190,000 solar thermal mirrors with an existing combined-cycle natural gas power plant. Innovative technology enables the mirrors to track the sun over the course of a day to harness free fuel from the sun’s rays to create electricity and directly offset the use of fossil fuels…"

FPL’s Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center (click to enlarge)

"Construction of FPL’s Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center over the past two years provided more than 1,000 direct jobs, the majority of which were filled by Floridians. In addition, the project utilized more than 150 businesses from across the state, helping support the employment of thousands of additional Floridians during difficult economic times.

"FPL’s 75-megawatt Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center is designed to harness free fuel from the sun’s rays to power about 11,000 homes…[and] reduce fossil fuel consumption by approximately 41 billion cubic feet of natural gas and more than 600,000 barrels of oil – which would prevent the release of more than 2.75 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions and save FPL customers approximately $178 million in fuel costs over the facility’s estimated 30-year lifetime…"

click to enlarge

"FPL’s Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center was officially declared in-service in November 2010 and is the third of three large-scale solar projects that the company has completed over the past two years, creating more than 5,000 direct and indirect jobs…[They] are now delivering a total of 110 megawatts of clean, solar energy…

"In addition, the plant is expected to generate more than $5 million in new local tax revenue in its first full year of operation, enabling Martin County to devote considerable resources toward long-term economic development…FPL has already secured and permitted sites where more than 500 megawatts of new solar power could be built and is ready to launch several projects right away that would employ thousands…"