Environmental Leader

Phoenix Suns recently announced that it’s home arena, US Airways Center, will be powered by a 194-kilowatt solar system installed by EI Solutions. Tioga Energy will help the Suns use the solar energy to manage electricity costs through a power purchase agreement.

EI Solutions will design and install the new solar electric system, which consists of more than 1,000 Suntech panels on the fifth level of the center’s parking garage. These solar panels will provide about 18,000 square feet of shaded parking for cars and produce enough energy to power the equivalent of 26 Suns’ home games each season.

The new solar energy system is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 440,000 pounds each year, the equivalent of planting 46 acres of pine trees.

In other stadium news, WhiteWave Foods Company is aiming to make the University of Colorado’s football stadium more environmentally friendly with a program called “Green Stampede.” WWFC partner, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, will offset 100 percent of the electricity used during home games with renewable energy. In addition, carbon offsets from the Colorado Carbon Fund will be used to offset football team travel and other football related energy use.

Nearly all concessions packaging at the stadium will also be recyclable or compostable. CU expects to recycle or compost at least 90 percent of the waste generated at its stadium during the football season, and eliminate about 9 tons of trash from each home game.

Other stadiums greening up their acts include the one at University of Minnesota, Lambeau Field, Gillette Stadium, NY Mets’ Citi Field, and AT&T Park in San Francisco.