FPL Group announced that it is beginning its next era. The company's FPL Energy subsidiary is being renamed NextEra Energy Resources to better reflect its clean energy mission and market focus.

The company currently has more than 6,300 megawatts (MW) of wind generation in operation. It also is the largest generator of solar thermal power in the world. The company co-owns and operates seven solar plants in California’s Mojave Desert, which collectively form the world’s largest solar site. In all, the company operates 310 MW of solar thermal power.

“Today, with growing concern about global climate change and the need for more domestic sources of energy, it is no longer ‘business as usual’ in our industry. Solutions of the past will not suffice to meet the energy and climate challenges we face today,” said Mitch Davidson, NextEra Energy Resources's president and CEO. “Our new name – NextEra Energy Resources – reflects our focus on clean energy solutions and provides us with a strong brand platform to grow our business now and into the future.”

NextEra Energy Resources LLC remains an FPL Group Inc. company. During the course of 2009, the NextEra name will be rolled out to various operating company subsidiaries of NextEra Energy Resources.

To mark the debut of the new brand, NextEra is launching a five-year partnership agreement to be the Official Renewable Energy Provider of the Daytona 500 and 19 other motorsports events held at Daytona International Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway. The agreement includes sponsorship of the NextEra Energy Resources 250 race at Daytona on February 13.

As part of the agreement, International Speedway Corporation, parent company of Daytona and Homestead-Miami Speedway, will purchase renewable energy certificates (RECs) from NextEra that will help fund a number of renewable energy projects, including the development of wind and solar energy plants.

“We are thrilled by the future opportunity of this unprecedented partnership,” said Robin Braig, Daytona International Speedway's president. “Given NextEra Energy Resources track record of generating electricity from renewable sources for more than 20 years, we now have a strong partner to help us identify future opportunities to operate more efficiently."