FPL signs deal with solar firm to supply plants, do research

JUNO BEACH — A Silicon Valley-based firm has signed a deal to build solar-power systems for FPL Group Inc., and it intends to open a research and development center in Florida if the state continues building plants fueled by the sun

SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWRA, SPWRB) will provide solar photovoltaic panels and tracking systems to Juno Beach-based FPL Group (NYSE: FPL) subsidiaries Florida Power & Light Co. and NextEra Energy Resources, the two companies announced before U.S. markets opened today.

"SunPower will also locate a research and development center employing up to 50 employees in Florida if the state government continues to support the deployment of additional solar energy," according to a statement released by the firms.

The state, SunPower and FPL will work together to find a location for the R&D center. If demand remains strong in Florida, manufacturing and distribution centers for solar panels and tracking systems also may open in the state.

"Our agreement with SunPower for competitively priced panels and systems represents a key milestone in the execution of our solar strategy. For NextEra Energy Resources, this agreement will further advance our solar development efforts in key markets such as Colorado, California, Arizona, and New Jersey," FPL Group President and COO Jim Robo said in a statement.

For Florida, the deal will mean more energy jobs and an assurance that Florida Power & Light customers will get the best pricing and technology for the company's solar projects, Robo continued.

SunPower is working with Florida Power & Light - the state's largest utility - to build photovoltaic power plants in DeSoto and Brevard counties.

The 25-megawatt DeSoto plant, now under construction, will be the largest photovoltaic facility in the country when completed at the end of this year. Dubbed the DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center, it will use 90,000 of SunPower's photovoltaic panels on 180 acres and provide enough electricity to power more than 3,500 homes.

The Space Coast Next Generation Solar Energy Center also will use SunPower's systems.

A third plant FPL is building in Martin County will use a different kind of technology: solar thermal. It will use more than 180,000 mirrors to collect sunlight in troughs, in turn making steam to power FPL's existing gas-fired plant at the site west of Indiantown.

FPL also announced this month that it was working with Palm Beach Gardens-based Kitson & Partners to build a 75-megawatt photovoltaic solar plant at Babcock Ranch north of Fort Myers.