Natural Capitalism - Sarasota

It was back in April that FPL announced FPL selects Rothenbach Park for first Sunshine Energy® solar location I wonder what is going on? Jodi John are you out there? Please leave a comment.

arasota location will be largest solar facility in Florida; park is also site of closed Bee Ridge Landfill

JUNO BEACH, Fla. -- Florida Power & Light Company announced today that through its Sunshine Energy® program it has selected Rothenbach Park in Sarasota as the site for its first solar array. The park is located on Bee Ridge Road, east of Interstate 75 and is owned by Sarasota County. Today, during its regularly scheduled meeting, the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners approved the location for the site pending final permitting.

The 250-kilowatt (kW) solar array will be known as the FPL Solar Array at Rothenbach Park. The new solar facility will be the largest solar array in Florida and one of the largest in the southeast. The solar project is part of FPL’s commitment to develop new solar facilities as a result of customer participation in the Sunshine Energy program. The facility at Rothenbach Park is the first solar project to be announced as a result of the Sunshine Energy program.

“We sought a location that had ground site large enough for 250 kilowatts of photovoltaic panels,” said Jeff Bartel, vice president of external affairs for FPL. “We relied on input from the county to choose this location. Sarasota County officials have a strong environmental commitment and we are excited about the prospect of utilizing a closed landfill for a solar facility.”

“We are pleased that FPL selected Rothenbach Park as the location to build its first solar array on the west coast as a result of the Sunshine Energy program,” said Jodi John, manager of Sustainable Sarasota. ‘”We are proud to do our part for the environment and contribute to advancing an alternative energy source. We encourage everyone to visit the park and see the benefits of a renewable energy source first hand.”