Utilities, Solar, Sourcing Renewables  -  July 30, 2018

Solar sings at Miami concert venue

The amphitheater at Bayfront Park, a downtown Miami performing arts venue,  will add a ring of solar panels and a retractable roof following approval by the Miami City Commission for a no-bid, 25-year contract to Florida Power & Light for the project.

In a report by the Miami Herald, Mayor Francis Suarez said, "This is going to be an iconic structure for the city." Construction is expected to be completed in time for the Super Bowl in February 2020, hosted at Miami Gardens.

Florida Power & Light will be responsible for all costs to build and install the solar structure. In return, the company will pay a $10 annual license fee and the power generated will go into its grid. The report says that the quasi-public Bayfront Park Management Trust would pay for operation of the retractable roof and routine maintenance, for which it has set aside $40,000 per year.

The solar system will feature nearly 1,700 panels on the ring above the amphitheater, on a canopy next to the venue, and in seven solar trees nearby, generating about 500 kilowatts of energy for the grid.

Share this valuable information with your colleagues using the buttons below: