| On the 15 July, the Florida Public Services | | | | removed from the roads of the United States |
| Commission granted FPL permission to begin work | | | | each year. |
| on three major Solar Power plants across the | | | | Along with 'Solar Tres' the European Union |
| state. | | | | commissioned large scale Solar Thermal Power |
| The first of these projects is 'The Martin Next | | | | plant, the Florida plants contribute to a |
| Generation Solar Energy Center', scheduled for | | | | Trans-Atlantic development of sustainable energy |
| construction at the company's already existent | | | | sites. Add 'Nevada Solar One' - the replacement |
| 'Martin Plant' site. It is expected to be operational | | | | for 'Solar One' and 'Two', on which 'Solar Tres' |
| in 2010, and will produce a maximum 75W output. | | | | was based - and the number of substantially |
| It will combine steam with solar thermal power in | | | | funded solar powered facilities is growing. |
| order to reduce the amount of natural gas used | | | | And it is not just Europe and North America that |
| in the energy conversion process. | | | | has been affected: The Japanese Companies |
| Second is 'The DeSoto Next Generation Solar | | | | 'Kansai Electrical Power' and 'Sharp Japan' |
| Energy Center' which is due for completion and | | | | announced plans in June for two solar power |
| operation in 2009. It is named after the county in | | | | plants to be built under the 'Sakai City Waterfront |
| which it's being developed, and boasts a 25MW | | | | Mega Solar Power Generation Plan', and are |
| photovoltaic maximum capacity. This figure, when | | | | expected to be operational in 2010. The two sites |
| reached, would make it the largest photovoltaic | | | | are reported to have a combined maximum |
| center in the world. | | | | power of 38,000KW, and will therefore become |
| The final project in the trio is 'The Space Coast | | | | two of the largest solar powered sites in the |
| Next Generation Solar Energy Center', and is the | | | | world. |
| product of a partnership between NASA and the | | | | Three of the world's biggest political players, then, |
| FPL. It has a photovoltaic capacity of 10MW, and | | | | are continuing their commitment to sustainable |
| will reportedly serve the needs of more than | | | | energy sources. Include 'Kigali Solaire', the largest |
| 2500 people. It is expected to be operational in | | | | solar power plant in Africa - opened in Rwanda in |
| 2009, and is to be built on the same grounds as | | | | 2007 - plus a maximum capacity 400KW |
| the 'Kennedy Space Center'. | | | | photovoltaic array in New South Wales, Austrialia, |
| With the green light now given, it signifies another | | | | and it amounts to sustainable energy in four of |
| step towards a greater and more proficient level | | | | the six world continents. Place on the tally the |
| of sustainable energy in the US. FPL reports that - | | | | plans for a 'solar trough' - one long set of |
| pending the successful completion of the three | | | | parabolic solar panels - in Mexico, which would |
| plants - the energy saved would amount to the | | | | amount to a maximum 400MW output for the |
| prevention of 3.5m tons of various green house | | | | city Agua Prieta, and that makes five continents |
| gases over the three power plant's lifetimes. The | | | | in six. |
| Environmental Protection Agency calculate that | | | | Perhaps, then, the FPL centers are simply bucking |
| this has the same effect as 25,000 cars being | | | | the trend. |