Juno Beach, CA, USA: FPL Energy Advances its Solar Strategy

March 26, 2008

FPL Energy, the country’s leading generator of wind and solar thermal power, announced today an important step in its strategy to add significantly to its solar power generating capability. FPL Energy, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, has filed an Application for Certification with the California Energy Commission (CEC) to construct, own and operate a 250-megawatt solar plant in the Mojave Desert to be called the Beacon Solar Energy Project.

FPL Energy’s solar generation strategy centers on utilizing proven and scalable parabolic trough solar thermal technology that has been used commercially for more than 20 years. FPL Energy has nearly 20 years of experience operating similar technology at its SEGS solar thermal facilities in the Mojave Desert.

As first announced at the Clinton Global Initiative last September, FPL Group, the parent company of FPL Energy, is committed to and plans to invest significantly in new solar generating facilities over the next several years. FPL Energy has set a goal of adding at least 600 megawatts of new solar by 2015. FPL Energy has already identified 1,100 megawatts of new solar sites and has leased, optioned or owns outright a significant amount of land in the west and southwest U.S.

“FPL Energy is a leader in producing energy from clean and renewable sources,” said Mitch Davidson, president of FPL Energy. “At a time of rising and volatile fossil-fuel costs and increasing concerns about greenhouse gases, solar electricity can have a meaningful impact in reducing carbon dioxide emissions that scientists believe contribute to global warming. We believe that solar power has similar long-term potential as wind energy, and we are well positioned to play a leading role in the growth of this renewable technology.”

The proposed Beacon Solar Energy Project will be located on an approximately 2,000 acre site in eastern Kern County, California. The more than 500,000 parabolic mirrors will be assembled in rows to receive and concentrate the solar energy to produce steam for powering a steam turbine generator. The generator will produce electric power for delivery to the nearby electric grid.
FPL Energy expects to begin construction on the project late in 2009 and take approximately two years to complete.

Further details about: FPL Energy