INTRODUCING SOLAR ENERGY TO THE NFL: STADIUM DOUBLES AS POWER PLANT

摘要

NFL stadiums are some of the most iconic sporting venues in the country. Tens of millions of people set foot inside NFL stadiums each year and millions more see aerial or close up shots of the stadium during live broadcasts. The Washington Redskins, NRG and DLR Group maximized this captive audience to create an atmosphere that produces energy, educates patrons about renewable energy, and enhances the fan experience on game day. A solar energy solution of this type and scale had never been installed until September 2011. The solar array at FedExField was the largest solar energy solution in the Washington, DC metro area and within an NFL stadium at the time of installation. The biggest challenge facing the project team was an accelerated schedule. Design launched on May 1, 2011 and construction was completed a short four months later. The solar array is exceeding the energy projections calculated by DLR Group by 23 percent. Between the time the system went live in September 2011 to August 2, 2013, the array has produced 4.44 GWh of electricity, which is the equivalent to the annualized energy usage of 491 homes in the DC metro area and the removal of 683 passenger vehicles from the road.