Environmental Stewardship

Solar energy is a clean, renewable resource that is continuously supplied to the earth by the sun. Solar resources are available everywhere in the United States, although some areas receive less sunlight than others, depending on the climate and seasons. The greatest solar resources are located in the Southwestern states (Source: Environmental Protection Agency).

Solar facilities, including FPL Energy’s Solar Electric Generating System (SEGS) in California’s Mojave Desert, are environmentally friendly, especially in the area of air pollution. Air emissions associated with generating electricity from solar technologies are negligible because no fuels are combusted, except on cloudy days when the SEGS facilities use a supplementary natural gas boiler to generate electricity. SEGS generation offsets approximately 3,800 tons of pollutants annually that would have been produced if the electricity had been provided by fossil fuels, such as oil.

Wildlife protection is also important. All employees are trained on recognizing and reporting endangered plant and animal species, such as the Desert Tortoise and Wooly Sunflower. Tortoise fencing has been installed around the plant perimeter, and the fencing is inspected weekly for the protection of the tortoise.