Babcock Ranch, Florida, to become world's first solar-powered town

A real estate development firm from Florida is hoping to create the world's first town that runs completely on solar power. Kitson & Partners said the development will, once completed, become the world's first solar-powered town.

The development is already notable for being the largest that's currently under construction in the U.S., HousingWire reports. However, the idea now is for the town to tout itself as being the world's first fully solar-powered settlement. Phase one of Babcock Ranch's development is expected to be finished by early next year, accommodating 1,100 residents.

Once the entire development has been finished, it's envisaged that the town will be replete with 19,500 residences, providing accommodation for up to 50,000 people. There will also be a downtown area, and over six million square feet of community and commercial spaces.

However, the pièce de résistance will be the town's 443- acre solar power plant, which will provide enough juice to power the whole town, the developers said.

“Babcock Ranch will exemplify what it means to be a town of the future, offering residents a highly unique balance of the most technologically advanced infrastructure and amenities, with ready access to a rich natural environment and a true sense of community,” said Syd Kitson, Kitson & Partners Chairman and CEO. “Less than a year from today, the first residents will be settling into a whole new way of life, one that is conscientious, engaging and connected.”

“We’ve been working hard to cost-effectively bring more emissions-free universal-scale solar to Florida for more than 10 years,” FPL president and CEO Eric Silagy says.