On August 13, 2021, Power Engineering reported progress at the Manatee Battery Energy Power Center. The story provides an overview of the project scope. Irby is on-site for Florida Power and Light having been awarded the project in September 2020. The project is now 75% complete.

The story features FPL President and CEO Eric Silagy.

“With one milestone after another, FPL is following through on its steadfast commitment to make Florida a leader in sustainability and resiliency as we consistently deliver America’s best energy value – electricity that’s not just clean and reliable, but also affordable,” said FPL President and CEO Eric Silagy. “In June, we said goodbye to coal by dismantling FPL’s last coal plant in Florida just as we surpassed 40% of the way toward completing our ’30-by-30’ plan to install 30 million solar panels by 2030. Soon, the world’s largest solar-powered battery will begin serving customers, and we’ll turn our attention to an innovative green hydrogen pilot project – which could unlock the potential for a 100% carbon-free energy future.”

Visit Power Engineering to read the full story.

The Manatee Battery Energy Project was featured on Fox 13 News Tampa Bay on August 12, 2021. The news report by Kimberly Kuizon can be viewed on the news channel website. A copy of the related story is below.

https://www.fox13news.com/news/worlds-largest-solar-battery-nears-completion-in-manatee-county

FOX13news.com
World’s largest solar batter going online
Kimberly Kuizon reports

PARRISH, Fla. – Sitting on 40 acres of land in Manatee County, Florida Power and Light is nearly finished with construction on the world’s largest solar-powered battery.

“It’s a long-term journey in removing carbon from our system,” said Matt Valle.

The battery will capture energy during the day from sites like the Manatee Solar Energy Center, and then will be used to power 329,000 homes in Manatee and Desoto counties during the night and times when the sun isn’t shining as bright.

“It’s about 132 containers… stretching over 40 acres and that is capturing solar energy on the system, day-in and day-out, and balancing that later to when we need it,” explained Matt Valle, FP&L’s vice president of development.

Each unit houses specialized batteries. Combined, they are equivalent to 100 million iPhone batteries. The site has a lifespan of 40 years.

It’s one step FP&L is taking to continue a movement toward clean energy.

Once the battery is up and running, the fossil fuel plant in Parrish will be taken offline.

“Over the life of those investments and the retirement of that system, we will save 1 million tons of carbon,” said Valle.

FP&L said customers will also see some savings, but reducing the company’s carbon footprint is the real benefit.

“We feel that FPL, as well as other utilities, will have to go to a world where we aren’t emitting any carbon. This battery is key to taking intermittent renewable resources and bouncing that out on our grid over time,” said Valle.

The battery is expected to be in operation by the end of the year.