Florida Developer Plans All-Solar City

Florida developer Kitson & Partners has announced plans to build a new city powered entirely by solar energy. The proposed development, Babcock Ranch, would include 19,500 homes on 17,000 acres (6,900 ha)—much of which would remain protected green space—northeast of Fort Myers, Florida. A 75-megawatt photovoltaic plant, the largest in the world, is to power the city, and a “smart grid” will allow users to monitor and adjust their energy consumption in real time.

In addition to homes, the developer will include 6 million ft² (560,000 m²) of retail, commercial, office, civic, and light industrial space, all built to the standards of the Florida Green Building Council. The solar energy component of the project, to be operated by Florida Power and Light, is awaiting legislative approval, but construction could begin in 2009.