If you’ve ever lived in Florida or watched news coverage of hurricanes hitting its coastlines, you understand the state’s vulnerability to these storms. In 2004, Florida endured four hurricanes (Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne) in the span of a little over a month. Hundreds of thousands of residents lost power, with only 17.5% relying on portable generators to sustain basic appliances.
More recently, in 2022, Hurricane Ian wreaked havoc in southwest Florida, causing widespread destruction and leaving 2.7 million people without power. Some endured a week or more without electricity, braving extreme heat and humidity.
Despite facing the same powerful 155-mile-per-hour winds as neighboring towns, a community near Ft. Myers called Babcock Ranch emerged unscathed. Thanks to meticulous planning and reliance on solar panels for electricity, all 2,000 homes in the neighborhood retained power.
But what is Babcock Ranch—and how did it come out nearly unscathed when surrounding towns were left flooded, damaged, and without power?
Let’s take a closer look.
Babcock Ranch: A Sustainable Dream Turned Into Reality
As with most grand plans, the beginning of Babcock Ranch began with a simple vision by its founder, Syd Kitson. According to VOA News, Kitson wanted to build a city that worked hand-in-hand with the environment. In 2015, his dream was realized as they broke ground on its construction, and Babcock Ranch was born.
The town, which spans over 18,000 acres of land, has become a series of distinct neighborhoods, schools, restaurants, nature trails, and more amenities that make it a desirable place to live. But what really sets it apart from other towns is the fact that it runs entirely on solar power, making it not only the first solar-powered town in the United States but also an exceptional choice for those who want to leave a minimal carbon footprint.
So how does Babcock Ranch power 2,000 (and growing) residences and additional commercial spaces at once? Partnered with Florida Power and Light, Babcock Ranch houses a solar energy center on 440 acres of land.
Not sure what that looks like? Picture this: 333 football fields, filled with approximately 33,000 solar panels soaking up the sun’s energy all day long. Together, those panels generate about 75 megawatts of clean energy. To put this in perspective, one megawatt produces enough electricity to power approximately 200 homes. So, there’s plenty of solar energy to go around—and even some left over to serve customers living outside of Babcock Ranch.
Babcock Ranch: 1, Hurricane Ian: 0
Many of Babcock Ranch’s current residents moved there because of its potential to withstand hurricane damage. But how did its builders ensure the town’s safety ahead of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Ian on neighboring cities?
A few strategies they implemented when developing the town include:
- Building it on high ground that could endure storm surges.
- Crafting homes that were made to resist hurricane-force winds.
- Burying powerlines underground, shielding them from heavy winds and bad weather.
- Digging retention ponds to protect homes from flooding.
- Paving streets that are designed to remove excess water.
Thanks to the careful planning involved in constructing the solar-powered town, Babcock Ranch emerged relatively unharmed from the havoc Hurricane Ian caused in Ft. Myers, Sanibel Island, and other nearby cities. Apart from minor damage like fallen trees, the town maintained power throughout and after the storm, proving that America’s first solar-powered town is, indeed, the place you want to be when a hurricane hits.
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Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/orr/timeline/events/CFIJ.html
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/150431/power-outages-after-hurricane-ian
https://babcockranch.com/solar-works-babcock-ranch/
https://www.voanews.com/a/solar-powered-us-town-successfully-weathers-hurricane/6789540.html