Duke Energy Florida (DEF) has announced the locations of its two newest solar power plants, which continue to expand its portfolio of renewable energy generation.
The Fort Green Power Plant will be built on approximately 500 acres in Hardee County, Florida. The 74.9 MW system will consist of approximately 265,000 solar modules and use a shelf system with a fixed incline. The Bay Trail solar power plant will be built on 500 acres in Citrus County, Florida. When commissioned, the 74.9 MW system will consist of approximately 197,000 bifacial tracking solar modules. The innovative double-sided panel design is highly efficient and tracks the movement of the sun. The Bay Trail facility has a prospective mining site and Fort Green is a former phosphate mine.
"These solar power plants are examples of how renewable energy mining sites can be developed that benefit our communities and the environment," said Melissa Seixas, President of Duke Energy Florida. “Duke Energy Florida delivers what our customers want – access to clean energy at a competitive price. We provide environmentally friendly solar energy that benefits all of our Florida customers. "
The solar panels are the latest milestones in the company's strategy to deliver clean energy to customers. DEF currently has more than 900 MW of solar energy under construction or in operation and will more than quadruple the amount of operational solar energy in its system over the next four years. Duke Energy Florida claims to have installed more than 1.9 million solar modules in Florida to date.