Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center
| Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Country | United States |
| Location | Martin County, Florida |
| Coordinates | 27°03′11″N 80°33′00″W / 27.053°N 80.550°WCoordinates: 27°03′11″N 80°33′00″W / 27.053°N 80.550°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | December 2008 |
| Commission date | December 2010 |
| Construction cost | $141 million |
| Owner(s) | FPL |
| Solar farm information | |
| Type | CSP |
| CSP technology | Parabolic trough |
| CSP units | 6,864 (192,192 mirrors) |
| Land area | 500 acres (202 ha) |
| Power generation information | |
| Installed capacity | 75 MW |
| Capacity factor | 24% |
| Annual generation | 155 GW·h |
| Website http://www.fpl.com/environment/solar/martin.shtml | |
| As of December 2010 | |
The Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center is a hybrid, 75-megawatt MW, parabolic-trough, solar energy plant in Martin County, Florida, built by Florida Power & Light Company (FPL). The solar plant is a component of the 3,705 MW Martin County Power Plant, which is currently the single largest fossil fuel-burning power plant in the United States.[1] It is located in western Martin County, Florida, just north of Indiantown.
The Solar Energy Center has an array of approximately 190,000-mirror parabolic troughs on about 500 acres (202 ha) of the Martin County plant.[2] The solar collectors feed heat to the existing steam plant, generating electricity at a rate of 155,000 MW·h per year (an average of 18 MW).[3] Lauren Engineers & Constructors (Abilene, TX) was the EPC contractor for the project.[4] Construction began in 2008[5] and was completed by the end of 2010.[6]
FPL expects the $476 million[7] solar plant to reduce the combined-cycle power plant's natural gas consumption by 1.3 billion cubic feet (37 billion m³) per year.[7] Over the 30-year life of the project, this is expected to save $178 million in fuel cost[8] and reduce carbon emissions by 2.75 million tons.[7]
Excess pressure and a release of operating fluid led to the plant being shut down for four months in 2011 for clean up and testing.[9]
As of 2013, no additional concentrated solar plants are planned for Florida, although in 2007 FPL had planned on building a 300 MW fresnel solar thermal plant.[10]
See also [edit]
- List of concentrating solar thermal power companies
- List of photovoltaic power stations
- List of solar thermal power stations
- Renewable energy in the United States
- Renewable portfolio standard
- Solar power in the United States
References [edit]
- ^ "The World's Largest Power Plants". industcards. 2009-02-21. Retrieved 2009-05-26.
- ^ Mayfield, Jim (2008-12-03). "World's first hybrid solar power facility breaks ground in Martin County". TCPalm.com (Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group). Retrieved 2009-05-26.
- ^ "Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center FAQs". FPL. Retrieved 2009-05-26.
- ^ "75-MW CSP Plant to be Built in Florida". RenewableEnergyWorld.com. March 27, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-01.
- ^ "FPL Breaks Ground on First Hybrid Solar Plant". RenewableEnergyWorld.com. December 5, 2008. Retrieved 2009-05-26.
- ^ Vo, Danny (January 10, 2011). "Florida utilities lay plans for solar projects in 2011". CoolerPlanet.com. Retrieved 2011-01-28.
- ^ a b c Mouawad, Jad (March 4, 2010). "The Newest Hybrid Model". The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-01-28.
- ^ Patel, Julie (January 28, 2011). "FPL's estimates on solar costs customers pay questioned". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 2011-01-28.
- ^ Major spill at FPL solar plant gets glossed over
- ^ Big Solar Thermal Power Plants Planned for Florida, California
External links [edit]
- "The Cost of Solar Electricity at the Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center". Gerson Lehrman Group. March 14, 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-28.
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