Florida Power & Light Co., which operates a variety of energy plants, said that 2009 has been its most fuel-efficient year to date.With investments in cleaner-burning power plants, FPL said it avoided 4.9 million tons of CO2 emissions in 2009, according to a press release.
At FPL's West County Energy Center, the utility in 2009 began using two efficient natural-gas combined-cycle units to produce energy. FPL said the center is now one of the most fuel-efficient power plants of its kind in the nation.
“While we can’t control the cost of fuel, we can focus on making our plants as efficient as possible to help control the amount of fuel we use to produce power,” said Armando J. Olivera, the utility’s president and CEO.
Since 2002, FPL's investments in fuel-reducing technologies have saved almost $3 billion in fuel costs and avoided 24.5 million tons of CO2. FPL said this is equivalent to removing about 4.25 million cars from the road.
The utility has further plans to modernize to older plants in Capa Canaveral and Riviera Beach. Both plants would be converted to clean-burning natural gas technology that is 33 percent more efficient than the current plants. The switch is contingent upon FPL receiving approval to change its base rate, according to the release.
If the plants enter operation, by 2014 FPL would see its emissions down 7 million tons of CO2, compared to the 4.9 million ton drop in 2009.
FPL has proposed building two more nuclear plants and the utility also is involved in building the nation's largest solar photovoltaic power plant, the DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center.
Here's a video about the solar addition and FPL's smart grid program.
