FPL has constructed and commissioned three solar power plants that together create 110 megawatts of clean

energy for 4.5 million customers throughout the state.

Economic benefits
The development and expansion of renewable energy production and technologies:

Create thousands of good-paying jobs Deliver economic investment to local communities Attract manufacturing facilities and research centers to Florida Provide increased tax revenue for local governments and school districts

Environmental benefits
Throughout the life of the projects, FPLs Next Generation Solar Energy Centers will:

Generate clean, emissions-free, renewable solar energy while producing no waste Prevent the emission of more than 3.5 million tons of greenhouse gases, equivalent to removing 25,000 cars from the road every year

Future opportunities
If the state were to enable utilities to pursue renewable energy projects up to 2 percent of revenues, FPL would immediately begin construction on more than 500 megawatts of new solar projects.

Several projects are permitted and shovel-ready. Potential for 10,000 15,000 new direct and indirect jobs in the first three years.

With a strong commitment from the state, large-scale renewable energy projects could attract new research and development, manufacturing and more to Florida, laying the foundation for a lasting industry to support the states long-term economic growth. What is solar energy used for? There are numerous uses for solar energy, including heating water for domestic use, space heating of buildings, drying agricultural products and generating electrical energy. What are some advantages of solar energy? Solar energy is a clean, emissions-free source of renewable energy, which helps protect our

environment. Solar facilities are not affected by the supply and demand of fuel and subject to price volatility, and solar energy can help reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy. Why cant solar energy be used to supply all our energy needs? Energy from the sun is intermittent and varies from region to region. Solar energy also requires quite a large area of land for installation to achieve a good level of efficiency. This would not be practical in providing for the energy needs of large numbers of consumers. Finally, solar energy cannot be produced at night, so we also need efficient baseload generation like natural gas or nuclear plants that provide clean energy around the clock. How many solar energy plants are being used by NextEra to generate electricity in the U.S. and where are they located? FPLs parent company, NextEra Energy, Inc., operates the worlds largest solar thermal facility with a generating capacity of 310 megawatts in Californias Mojave Desert. FPL operates three utility-scale solar projects in the Sunshine State in Brevard County, Desoto County and Martin County. Will the solar panels give off reflections or glare? The reflection or glare from solar panels is similar to that of a field of planted crops, such as corn. Tidal energy is renewable, produces no greenhouse gases or other waste. The energy is provided via gravitational forces and the relative motion of the Sun, Moon and Earth. There are two energy-harvesting approaches: converting the potential energy of the tides (the rise and fall in water height) and converting the kinetic energy of the tides (harvesting the tidal currents). Unlike wind energy, tidal energy has a predictable, daily schedule, resulting in highly reliable generation. Once built, tidal power is inexpensive, with no fuel costs and relatively low operations and maintenance cost. The higher density of water (over 800 times that of air) means higher densities of energy generated from a given installation footprint. Smaller installation footprints have the additional benefit that the impact of offshore and vertical-axis turbines are manageable. Good engineering design, supported by existing research and development, can mitigate the environmental impacts. Tidal Power Disadvantages An individual harvesting approach best presents the disadvantages of tidal power generation. In general, the disadvantages of harvesting the potential energy of the tides (water height rise and fall) are: Constructing a barrage or sluiced damn across an estuary is expensive to build. There is a risk of adverse effects on the environment for many miles upstream and downstream of the barrage facility. Birds, sea life, marine and even land animals rely on the tides uncovering the mud

flats so that they can feed. Many sea animals require unobstructed access to migratory paths for feeding, reproduction and seasonal migration. There are only a limited number of suitable sites for tidal barrages. Harvesting energy from tidal currents also has disadvantages. They include: The power generation equipment must be built to withstand operation underwater in relatively harsh environments. Effects on marine life during construction phases. Operation and control must be provided remotely and maintenance is complicated due to sea-basing of the generation facilities. Sea-based moorings and towers to hold the generators must be placed on the sea bottom. The generating facilities and mooring infrastructure are potential navigational hazards. There are only a limited number of suitable sites with strong tidal currents. Only able to provide power for around 10 hours each day, when the tide is actually moving in or out.

There are two energy-harvesting approaches: converting the potential energy of the tides (the rise and fall in water height) and converting the kinetic energy of the tides (harvesting the tidal currents). Tidal energy has a predictable, daily schedule, resulting in highly reliable generation. The higher density of water (over 800 times that of air) means higher densities of energy generated from a given installation footprint. Smaller installation footprints have the additional benefit that the impacts of offshore and vertical-axis turbines are manageable. Good engineering design, supported by existing research and development, can mitigate the environmental impacts.

Tidal energy has a predictable, daily schedule, resulting in highly reliable generation

. Once built, tidal power is inexpensive, with no fuel costs and relatively low operations and maintenance cost

Because of the complications that are involved with switch from the energy that has been used for the last century or so, the move to totally replace the current energy sources of coal, oil and gasoline with alternative energies is still several years away. State and federal governments are providing subsidies and economic incentives for switching to alternative energies to encourage people to make the move to what is still an expensive investment. Since no one alternative is perfect for every situation it appears that a combination of alternatives is the best answer for getting away from fossil fuels. Not only would the switch to alternatives be environmentally sound, the move would also allow for energy independence. Energy independence means that, as a country, we would no longer have to buy our energy supplies, specifically crude oil, from other countries like Argentina and Saudi Arabia that have a tendency to be involved in internal and external conflicts that drive up the price of our energy supplies. The move to any alternative must also win over public opinion and be proven to be reliable, inexpensive and, most importantly, safe for the environment and people. Until these alternatives become a reality it is important to continue to work on more efficient machines and conserving our supplies so that we do not run out before the switch can be made.