- Hurricane Ian knocked out power to 4 million customers in Florida.
- But one community was left largely unscathed by the Category-4 storm, CNN reported.
- Babcock Ranch, a planned town built with a focus on sustainability and renewable energy, kept the lights on during the storm.
As Hurricane Ian battered Florida and left millions without power last week, one forward-thinking community managed to keep the lights on.
Babcock Ranch, a planned community of roughly 2,000 that bills itself as “America’s first solar-powered town,” skated through the storm without power loss or significant damage, CNN reported. A spokesperson for Babcock Ranch confirmed that residents didn’t lose power.
Hurricane Irma (Image: Jo Pegram-Mills)
The town — just north of Fort Myers — gets its electricity from an on-site, 870-acre solar array made up of 650,000 panels. The system produces more energy than the town consumes and includes batteries to supply power on cloudy days and at night.
Bonus solar panels on commercial rooftops and in public spaces boost energy generation. And some residents have installed panels on their homes, according to CNN. Babcock Ranch’s website advertises a “life powered by the sun.”
Read more: YahooFinance
