Badcock Ranch, in the United States, with the slogan "Not all cities are equal" is the first city what does it pretend to be powered by solar energy at 100% of its capacity.
Can you become the solar city that so many of us yearn for?
According to the project, the safest thing is that if it succeeds, in addition Badcok Ranch doesn't just count on being a solar city and nothing else but that will be the perfect city for hiking or cycling, says Kitson & Partners, a real estate agency promoting this project in southwest Florida.
Reasons to position itself as the first solar city or also known as the sustainable city are not lacking and that is Florida Power and Light, partner company that has the support of the State of Florida and the County, will build a solar plant in the area of which you think supply the 19.500 homes de la ciudad.
This solar plant, with up to 75 MW of energy, which is equivalent to a installation of 340.000 solar panels, they will provide the necessary energy throughout the day to Babcock Ranch.
However, during cloudy days or nights, the city will have to stock up on gas natural. I already knew there was a cat locked up here!
According to the promoters, the use of natural gas during cloudy days and night hours it will be a temporary measure, since they hope that Babcock Ranch will become a kind of "laboratory" city in real life so that they can favor advances in research as for example in the storage of solar energy.
Another point to take into account for this solar city that guarantees to give "a completely sustainable life" is the Energy Efficiency of the houses, providing thermal insulation panels, certified of course, by Florida Green Building Coalitio.
Putting renewable energy is not the only solution if you do not know later how to take advantage of that energy or in the worst case let it "escape.
The city
Now, if we look from the outside to the inside we can say that this solar city has more than 80 km of nature trails, and a community gardens through neighborhoods and nearby streets, thus promoting interaction between neighbors, another of the unmistakable elements of Babcock Ranch in its cover letter.
That said, the inside of the city will focus on the Founder's Square model that will cover all the needs of the inhabitants from the center of the city (downtown) that will have restaurants, cafes, shops and entertainment venues and free Wi-Fi.
Bus Routes
The use of Bike although it will also be possible to have multiple recharging points to promote the electric vehicles.
As to public transport you have to take a little imagination from science fiction movies as they will be powered by electricity, so far fine, but they will be completely autonomous and driverless.
Countermeasures
Not everything in the solar city is rosy, the South Florida Widlands collective is against the city of the future for very defensible reasons since the construction will affect snakes, black bears, panther colonies and woodpeckers who live nearby.
Promoters defend themselves by ensuring that at least 295 km2 will be preserved and the city will occupy less than 73 km2 to which South Florida Widlands counters with the idea that the project will have an impact on the surroundings with new shopping centers and other facilities, saying that they will even make adjacent spaces more vulnerable by reaching corner the panthers, found in Danger of extinction.
While the criticisms of the opposition and the promoters are "raining down" they defend themselves, the city continues to advance with its construction and soon it will be possible to be a neighbor of this community as long as you have around $ 300.000 - $ 750.000 in your wallet.
This is when it comes in the dilemma that every protector, ecologist, environmentalologist or any person concerned about the environment has.
Destroy part of an ecosystem with all the problems that this entails for the construction of a sustainable city to preserve the environment.
Do we sacrifice a few for the "common good" or do we stand still?
The natural gas thing would be the other business. What good info, good post.
Thank you very much Osmar, it is a pleasure to inform you of any news that arises from renewable energies.
A greeting.