According to Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), its Space Coast Next Generation Solar Energy Center is now online and producing about 10 megawatts of emissions-free electricity. This is said to be enough to power about 1,100 homes.
The project contains about 35,000 photovoltaic panels and is located on about 60 acres of NASA property on Florida's Space Coast. The utility operates a separate 1 megawatt array in the area, and is also the developer of a 25 megawatt photovoltaic plant elsewhere in the state. The 25 megawatt array is the largest operating solar photovoltaic plant in the country.
"Florida is poised to be a leader in America’s growing clean-energy economy, which naturally includes solar power," said Florida Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas, adding that the current project represents a common sense solution to current problems facing the country.
FLP has estimated that the solar array will save about 122,000 barrels of oil in its lifetime and offset emissions equivalent to taking 1,800 cars off the road.
