FPL Breaks Ground on First Hybrid Solar Plant

I've heard that Florida has very large horse ranches that produce significant amounts of manure every year. Until now, disposing of this waste has been a cost center for these ranches.

Could advances in waste-to-gas technology be employed so that FPL can run the gas part of its hybrid generation on bio gas? That ought to dramatically improve the carbon offset balance of FPL's generation by preventing methane generation at the ranch as well as the carbon emissions from importing, refining, and burning gas in its generator turbines.

We could have solar on every house and building in America at no cost to taxpayers. 5 to 10 cents per month on every utility bill would cover the cost of materials which is the biggest impediment. We have a 6K system on our office(1800 s/f) just outside of Boston and it provides all the electricity for lighting, A/C and 40% of the heat thru electric infra-red units. Tell me this stuff doesn't work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why should the utilities be building these systems when homeowners and businesses can build them themselves? Where is the money coming from for the FPL system? You can safely bet that FPL isn't paying for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last June the Public Service Commission gave permission for FPL to raise rates so the public could pay for 3 solar power plants. 2 of the plants are PV, the remaining one is solar concentrating thermal. Solar concentrating thermal plants need an abundance of direct radiation, these plants are usually located in arrid desert climates. Florida is a sub-tropic climate with alot of diffused radiation. So how in heck is this plant going to work to its maximum potential. Well, its a hybrid, like a Prius according to the CEO of FPL Lew Hays at the groundbreaking. At least with a Prius we know how much gas we are using. Without an independant monitoring company the public will not know how much electricity is being produced from the solar side of the plant. The Public Service Commission then authorizes a report from the Navigant Consulting Firm for the amount of renewable energy potential in the state and what renewables will be the most efficient. Surprise, in that report which came out this past November, stated "solar concentrating systems will not work or be economicaly feasibile in this state because of the climate". With over 30 years of experience myself, anyone with any knowledge about solar energy systems knows these concentrating systems will not work here. Governor Crist and FPL for all their headlines have done little for the solar energy industry in the state. We have an exhausted rebate program because the state funded only $5,000,000 and people are waiting 18 months for their rebate checks. FPL and the other utilities have delayed or blocked net-metering in this state for years. The governor likes to fund the utilities because they can help him move up that political ladder, remember he had dreams of being John M'Cains VP. The governor's energy panel has no one from the solar industry on it, everyone else represented but the solar industry. Mr. Ballek, the horses are in the upper central part of the state, we have cattle down here.