On Friday, February 8, Michael Bloomberg, UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and former Mayor of New York City, joined Buddy Dyer, City of Orlando Mayor, and Clint Bullock, OUC General Manager & CEO, for a tour and news conference at OUC’s Gardenia Operations Facility to highlight Orlando’s role in addressing climate change and promoting a sustainable future.
Mayor Bloomberg received a special tour of OUC’s Emerging Technologies Research and Development Laboratory, and an up-close view of our 400-kW solar canopy and 31.5-kW floating solar array – two projects among the first of their kind in the nation. He also received a briefing on new, innovative weather stations designed to predict cloud cover.
Orlando is one of 25 cities selected to participate in the American Cities Climate Challenge through Bloomberg Philanthropies. The program will provide a $2.5 million grant to provide technical assistance and resources. Orlando’s plans include adding 150 electric-vehicle (EV) charging stations by 2020, further converting the city’s fleet of cars and buses to electric, promoting energy efficiency in public and privately-owned buildings, and expanding solar energy.
OUC has already installed a robust network of 165 charging stations around the area and has installed nearly 19 MW of solar. Announced in 2018, OUC has joined 11 municipal utilities from across Florida to build three massive solar farms. Three solar sites, located on 1,200 acres in rural Orange and Osceola counties, will provide 223.5 megawatts. OUC will be the largest tenant, purchasing 108.5 megawatts of solar energy, or enough for more than 20,000 residential customers.
