Sanford city leader questions value of FPL solar trees

SANFORD, Fla. — Florida Power and Light is planning to put up three solar trees around the playground at Fort Mellon Park, and while city leaders appreciate the production of clean energy, some feel the trees were a missed opportunity.

The solar trees are funded by 21,000 FPL customers who voluntarily pay $9 a month as part of the Solar Now program.

The power produced by the solar trees, though, will not be used to power anything at Fort Mellon Park.

They will not benefit residents or FPL customers in any way, which rankled Sanford vice mayor Patty Mahany.

Mahany voted in favor of the solar trees because she appreciated the idea of producing clean energy, but is now wondering why the city isn’t getting anything in return from FPL for use of the land.

“At this point, I feel like FPL is benefiting from it exclusively,” she said. “The installation of solar trees does not affect, or will not affect, the city’s power bills at all.”

Commissioner Patrick Austin said the trees are meant to be educational and do not cost the city anything.

The solar trees also do not produce much power, so he wasn’t sure what the city would be able to get in return for allowing their construction.

Mahany said that any future solar projects that involved public land should be negotiated with FPL.

Cox Media Group