Allard Beutel
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
allard.beutel@nasa.gov
Mayco Villafana
Florida Power & Light
305-552-3888
Mayco_Villafana@fpl.com
RELEASE: 12-08
NASA AND FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT BUILD SOLAR POWER PLANTS AT KENNEDY
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA and Florida Power & Light (FPL) are
teaming up to provide Florida residents and America's space program
with new sources of "green power."
NASA and the state's largest electric utility signed an agreement
Tuesday at Florida Governor Charlie Crist's global climate change
summit in Miami. The agreement is part of a new initiative that will
cut reliance on fossil fuels and improve the environment by reducing
greenhouse gas emissions.
The agreement will permit FPL to lease 60 acres of NASA Kennedy Space
Center's approximately 140,000 acres for a solar photovoltaic power
generation system. The facility will produce an estimated 10
megawatts of electrical power, which is enough energy to serve
roughly 3,000 homes. The solar power facility will be built and
maintained by FPL.
As part of the agreement, FPL will build a separate one megawatt solar
power facility at Kennedy that will support the electrical needs of
the center. It will also help NASA meet its goals for use of power
generated from renewable energy. In addition to generating
electricity, the facility will provide an opportunity for NASA
engineers and technicians to gain experience in energy production. It
also may serve as a test bed for solar power technology that could be
used on the surface of the moon and other planetary bodies.
"This is a major renewable energy project that will help both NASA and
the state of Florida advance efforts to reduce our dependence on
fossil fuels and improve our environment through use of clean
energy," said Kennedy Center Director Bill Parsons.
FPL refers to the large solar plant at Kennedy as the space coast
facility. The company estimates the plant will prevent more than
227,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere
during the life of the project. According to the Environmental
Protection Agency, that is the equivalent of eliminating the
emissions from more than 1,800 cars every year.
"This facility, the first cooperative solar effort with NASA, will
help power the space coast event as it leaves a smaller carbon
footprint here on Earth," said FPL Group CEO Lewis Hay III.
NASA and FPL managers signed a memorandum of understanding in December
2007 to explore developing renewable energy projects. Other concepts
under consideration include using biomass for energy production and
wind power generation. Details of the projects under consideration
still are being formulated and will be evaluated before moving into
development.
For information about Florida Power & Light and its programs, visit:
http://www.fpl.com/For more information about NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy
