JUNO BEACH, Fla. – Florida Power & Light Co., a leader in clean energy, and the Honda Classic, Palm Beach County’s premier sporting event, are leading the drive to go to the green with renewable energy this year.
FPL has purchased, through its Sunshine Energy Program, enough credits to power the four-day golf tournament using solar energy and wind. Through this partnership, FPL and the Honda Classic will offset the emissions of 115 tons of carbon into the atmosphere, or the equivalent of planting 14,000 trees.
Sunshine Energy is a voluntary green power program offered as a choice for FPL residential and commercial customers who want to support cleaner, renewable electric generation. The program uses energy credits to introduce alternative energy onto the electrical grid, reducing CO2 emissions and the need to use more traditional fuel sources.
Since Sunshine Energy’s inception in 2004, more than 37,000 FPL residential and business customers have enrolled in the program, avoiding 756 million pounds of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. That is comparable to removing 67,000 cars from the road today.
“FPL is committed to developing and using clean and renewable energies to the greatest extent possible. The Honda Classic is a terrific venue for us to talk with Floridians about how they can be a part of Sunshine Energy and our energy efficiency programs,” said FPL President Armando Olivera.
At the FPL Village, located near the 17th hole, FPL will display the latest in energy-efficient innovations, including solar powered golf carts. These rechargeable golf carts will be introduced into its company fleet later this year. There also will be live demonstrations of how solar power can generate enough electricity to power a water heater and home appliances, such as microwaves and blenders.
In addition, FPL energy experts will be on hand to share with tournament goers the many ways they can start saving energy today.
The PGA National Resort & Spa, home to the Honda Classic, has also taken steps to go green. The organization was recently accepted into the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Lodging program and is undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation to implement a wide range of energy-efficient upgrades.
“We have an opportunity to transform this legendary golf destination into an industry leader in conservation efforts,” said Ed McEnroe, tournament director for the Honda Classic. “This year’s event will set a precedent for years to come, and will hopefully encourage other event destinations to adopt similar measures.”
For more information about FPL’s Sunshine Energy program and the many other conservation programs available to customers, visit www.fpl.com. For more information on the Honda Classic, including tournament dates, entertainment and more, visit www.thehondaclassic.com.
Florida Power & Light Company is the principal subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc. (NYSE: FPL), nationally known as a high quality, efficient and customer-driven organization focused on energy-related products and services. With annual revenues of nearly $16 billion and a growing presence in 26 states, FPL Group is widely recognized as one of the country's premier power companies. Florida Power & Light Company serves 4.4 million customer accounts in Florida. FPL Energy, LLC, FPL Group's competitive energy subsidiary is a leader in producing electricity from clean and renewable fuels. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.FPL.com, www.FPLGroup.com and www.FPLEnergy.com