What's more, the development of solar photovoltaic "PV" energy plants creates good, local jobs for the new energy economy--more jobs per megawatt hour than any other energy type.
A leader in the development of solar PV systems, Lakeland Electric is committed to environmental sustainability and to providing innovative energy solutions to Floridians. In fact, two years ago, we laid out a long-term plan with solar developer SunEdison to integrate 24 megawatts of solar capacity into our energy mix by 2008. One of the largest utility-sponsored solar programs per metered customer in the United States, this system will produce enough zero-emission solar electricity over 20 years to offset nearly 807 million pounds of carbon dioxide and sustain approximately 7.200 homes with clean, environmentally-friendly energy.
We're happy to report that our plans are on track, and that this year we activated our first solar PV system on the rooftop of the Lakeland Center. Previously unutilized, this 40,000 square foot space now holds 1,232 south-facing solar collectors, capable of producing 475,000 kWh of electricity annually.
The next phase of our solar strategy will be realized near the Lakeland Airport starting in 2011. Ground-mounted solar collectors will be installed over 41-acres to provide over 5 megawatts of solar energy capacity to customers throughout Lakeland Electric's service area. This effort will be completed in 2013 and employ dozens of Floridians.