Enegry 5.0

THE FLORIDA SOLAR I PROJECT

 

Project Description
Energy 5.0 is developing the Florida Solar I Project, a 25 MW photovoltaic electric generating station to deliver renewable solar energy to Tampa Electric Company. The facility will include solar photovoltaic generating and power conditioning equipment, an interconnection substation with Tampa Electric's transmission system, and other necessary maintenance and support facilities located on a site of approximately 300 acres of reclaimed phosphate mine land in Polk County, Florida. The project will consist of silicon-based photovoltaic (“PV”) modules mounted on single axis horizontal trackers. The PV modules will be wired to inverters and transformers which will collect and convert the direct current produced to alternating current at the appropriate interconnection voltage for delivery to Tampa Electric.

Energy 5.0 was awarded the opportunity to supply renewable solar energy to Tampa Electric and its customers through a RFP process conducted in 2007. The energy purchase and sale agreement between Tampa Electric and Energy 5.0 provides for the company to purchase all of the renewable energy output of the facility at a fixed price per kilowatt-hour for the 25-year term of the contract. This fixed price is on a delivered-energy, pay-for-performance basis.

 Energy 5.0 has secured a site in Polk County and is currently performing studies on this site to confirm its suitability for development.
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The Customer
Tampa Electric, an investor-owned Florida public utility provides generation, transmission, and distribution service to approximately 667,000 retail customers in Hillsborough County and portions of Polk, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties. The company also provides wholesale full requirements service and other wholesale bulk power services to a number of other electric utilities in Florida. Tampa Electric is committed to obtaining the benefits of Florida renewable energy for its customers. The company is also committed to encouraging and promoting renewable energy technology. Link to Tampa Electric news release
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Project Benefits
The project will provide meaningful fuel diversity benefits to Tampa Electric and its customers. It will further Florida's goals of promoting renewable energy resources within the state, encourage investment in native renewable energy resources, improve environmental conditions in Florida, reduce dependence on natural gas and fuel oil for electricity production, and reducing fuel price volatility to utility customers. This energy purchase and sale agreement will also provide Tampa Electric with a head start toward meeting Florida’s Renewable Portfolio Standard.

As a photovoltaic generator the Florida Solar I Project will be emission free. The 25 MW project is expected to generate approximately 50,000 MWh of electricity in an average year, 1.27 million MWh over its 25 year proposed contract term. The project will avoid the emission of up to 1.45 million tons of CO2 when measured against a natural gas-fired, peaking combustion turbine.

Table 1 quantifies the emissions of the principal regulated pollutants per megawatt-hour from a large central station coal-fueled generator, a natural gas fired peaking combustion turbine and a natural gas fired combined cycle generator subject to the latest environmental standards (New Source Performance) and installed in 2009. These values were identified in a recent study prepared by Navigant for the Florida Public Service Commission.

Table 2 provides an assessment of emissions avoided based on the expected generation of the Florida Solar I Project each year.

Table 3 provides a tally of avoided emissions over the term of the power purchase agreement.

In addition to these pollutants, the project will avoid emissions of the following regulated pollutants emitted by fossil-fueled alternatives:

  • Carbon monoxide,
  • Particulate matter, and
  • Mercury.

The Florida Solar I Project will not require the delivery of fuel and will not generate any significant quantity of waste; it will thus avoid emissions associated with rail or truck transport of fuel or waste and will have a minimal impact on landfill requirements.

The Florida Solar I Project will not produce waste heat and thus will neither reject this wasted heat to a cooling water source nor will it represent a consumptive use of water (by evaporating cooling water to the atmosphere).

Use of the land for solar power does not necessarily negate other compatible uses. If the site was useful for grazing animals prior to installation of the solar generator it could be useful for grazing after installation.

The project will generate no noise, odor or other annoyances for its neighbors. Further, no significant amount of land is being paved hence there is no increase in its storm water runoff or heat island properties.
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Project Schedule
The schedule for development of the project is dependent on receipt of the necessary approvals. These include energy sales contract approval by the Florida Public Service Commission, negotiation of other project agreements and receipt of authorizations and environmental permits from jurisdictional agencies including a county conditional use permit. Energy 5.0 is targeting initial operation for the first half of 2011.
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Updated March 19, 2009