FLORIDA LOVES SUN

Solar Power Ambitions Grow Under Florida Sun
Lauren Craig, February 13, 2012 (Earth Techling)

"National Solar Power…[last year planned] two large solar farms in Florida: a 400-megawatt (MW) solar farm in Gadsden County and a 200-MW solar farm in Hardee County. Now, National Solar Power has entered into an agreement with Liberty County to build a [$350 million, 100 MW] solar farm…on five 200-acre plots of Liberty County property adjacent to the…Gadsden County project.

"The project will be designed, built and operated by Hensel Phelps Construction—the same firm that rebuilt the Pentagon after the 9/11 attacks in 2001…[T]he first phase of the project is expected to be online within six to seven months [after groundbreaking]. National Solar Power estimates the project will create up to 100 construction, and up to 25 permanent operations jobs, with an average salary of about $40,000 per year."

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"To finance the project, National Solar Power says it is negotiating with multiple financial institutions and private equity investors. It has also created its own venture capital fund—Green Infrastructure Partners…externally managed and advised by Solar Capital Management, a subsidiary of National Solar Power Partners.

"The company has entered into an agreement with Progress Energy Florida, and is having discussions with other potential customers to purchase power generated by its Florida solar farm projects…Despite the fact that Florida is one of the top 10 states in solar power capacity, [Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) is a leader in skepticism about] government support for solar energy…"