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