This 100% solar community endured Hurricane Ian with no loss of power and minimal damage

[Eugene]

Source: CNN

This 100% solar community endured Hurricane Ian with no loss of power and minimal damage

By Rachel Ramirez, CNN
Updated 11:53 AM EDT, Sun October 2, 2022

-snip-

What he found was Babcock Ranch — only 12 miles northeast of Fort Myers, yet seemingly light years away.

Babcock Ranch calls itself “America’s first solar-powered town.” Its nearby solar array — made up of 700,000 individual panels — generates more electricity than the 2,000-home neighborhood uses, in a state where most electricity is generated by burning natural gas, a planet-warming fossil fuel.

The streets in this meticulously planned neighborhood were designed to flood so houses don’t. Native landscaping along roads helps control storm water. Power and internet lines are buried to avoid wind damage. This is all in addition to being built to Florida’s robust building codes.

-snip-

So when Hurricane Ian came barreling toward southwest Florida this week, it was a true test for the community. The storm obliterated the nearby Fort Myers and Naples areas with record-breaking surge and winds over 100 mph. It knocked out power to more than 2.6 million customers in the state, including 90% of Charlotte County.

But the lights stayed on in Babcock Ranch.

-snip-

Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/02/us/solar-babcock-ranch-florida-hurricane-ian-climate/index.html

[walkingman]

1. We need more planned communities like this - climate change is not going away.

[Faux pas]

2. Kickin' With Gusto!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Great article!

I had not heard of this community before now. This news needs to be spread far and wide.

It looks like the future to me.

[Meadowoak]

4. We need Babcock ranch's everywhere, not just Florida.

[Midnight Writer]

5. We have the means but lack the will.

[FloridaBlues]

6. This area is pretty far inland too and didn't get full impact of storm plus brand new homes

More up to code for hurricanes. Glad for that community

[Miguelito Loveless]

7. We had a tree take out power

in our neighborhood at noon today, but we are running off our solar panels and didn’t even notice until we got a text notice from power company. When the sun goes down our battery will keep us running until power is restored or the sun comes back up.

Solar works. Solar and battery are the solution.

[bucolic_frolic]

8. When you spend enough money you can do anything

[dumbcat]

15. That is correct

And I would suspect that if the folks here saw what it cost to build that type of infrastructure, capitalize it, and maintain it, they would complain that only the ultra-rich elite could afford to live there. Just like they complain about gated communities and McMansions.

[CaptainTruth]

9. But wait... I thought everything in FL was horrible & terrible?

Or so I've seen written.

[Ponietz]

10. Will the additional carbon load from transforming cities make these measures obsolete?

I was reminded that concrete is responsible for 8% of atmospheric co2, and its production has tripled since 1990.

[housecat]

11. The prototype for others who value life and the earth rather than greed and stupidity

[Bayard]

12. K&R

[GreenWave]

13. This story will po the RWNJ!

Spread the good word!

[dumbcat]

14. I notice that there was not a word in the article about the costs and economics

of living in that community. Not a single dollar sign. Home costs? Taxes? HOA fees?

Yes, it is possible to build very bullet-proof, robust, resilient infrastructure. I did it for decades in the military. But it's not cheap. The vast majority of folks cannot or will not pay what it costs.

[Random Boomer]

16. Welcome to our future

The haves will continue to prosper as the have-nots ger knocked down over and over.

[Finishline42]

17. Yep, some pretty expensive homes there

You could buy a condo for $300k though...

https://www.swfloridahomesfinder.com/search/quick?beds=1&city=Babcock%20Ranch&maxprice=2250000&minprice=50000&soldproperty=0&sortby=&type=quick&perpage=12&page=3