NEWS

Its technology should have applications all over the country. 

Babcock Ranch and Punta Gorda both survived Hurricane Ian with little damage, thanks to robust building codes and good planning. 

Isaiah Richard, Tech Times 03 October 2022

Florida’s Babcock Ranch is “America’s first solar-powered town,” and not only did it supply power to homes during the onslaught of Hurricane Ian in the past weeks. It also provided protection from flooding and destruction which was evident in nearby areas like Fort Myers and other counties in Florida, as well as other parts of the country.

Not only is the neighborhood sustainable, but it also is resilient to the “acts of God” natural calamities.

Babcock Ranch Proved Itself Against Hurricane Ian

Babcock Ranch is a neighborhood that is 12 miles northeast of Fort Myers, Florida, and it is located in the coastal area of the state, but was able to survive the devastating force of Hurricane Ian. According to CNN, the community was able to survive its first disastrous Hurricane which wrecked nearby communities and counties in the state.

The neighborhood was able to sustain power to all houses in the area and reported no power loss with the help of its 700,000 solar panels throughout. It can sustain the area’s 2,000 homes, and produce power for more than its needs.

Additionally, the streets and roads were designed to endure the floods and avoid entering people’s homes, with its landscape also working to minimize damage or flooding in the area.

Is This the US’ First Solar-Powered Town?

There were claims that this is “America’s first solar-powered town,” and it stayed true to the claim as individual solar panels surround the area and is more than enough to power homes. Additionally, battery packs were recommended for home installation to ensure that residents would not experience any power loss in the area.

Solar and Smart Cities

We live in an era where people adopt modern changes and applications to cities where people may reside, or create areas and communities which is sustainable on their own. Making a smart city is a massive challenge for the likes of architects and city planners, as well as engineers and tech developers in the present time.

One of the most likely changes to do for smart cities now is to plan cities that would embody a self-sustaining neighborhood, something which the USDOT previously held a challenge for developers.

Despite having the tech readily available from different manufacturers, the real challenge focuses on bringing a city to be self-sustainable in everything it does, and one of the most significant ones is to have areas where people may walk and avoid car use any more.

That and the presence of many technological advancements like solar panels to bring power to its entire neighborhood, ensure connectivity with 5G or WiFi, and many more features.

The Babcock Ranch truly is a work of art and careful city planning which turned it into a self-sustaining neighborhood whose solar panels were more than enough to power each home. It also presents strategic planning for all as it was also made to be disaster-resilient, evident with its recent survival of Hurricane Ian, and anticipating more in the future.

This article is owned by TechTimes

Written by Isaiah Richard