The Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL) have gone to the end zone for a solar touchdown.
The two-time NFL Super Bowl champions announced they are teaming with energy company Constellation for a 375 kW power plant at the football clubs headquarters and training facilities in Owings Mills, Maryland.
Image Credit: Baltimore Ravens logo by Chris Conger via Flickr (Some Rights Reserved)
The Baltimore Ravens will buy clean electricity under a 20-year power purchasing agreement. Constellation will run and keep up the solar system during this period.
“Constellation is helping the Ravens extend our efforts to promote renewable energy to the Under Armour Performance Center,” said Baltimore Ravens Vice President of Corporate Sales and Business Development Kevin Rochlitz, referring to the new solar array at the training grounds.
Rochlitz said the Ravens are a model of sustainable development for the NFL and its legion of fans and they look forward to working with Constellation in making an impact within the local community.
It’s expected the new plant will offer around 15% of the facility’s electricity needs, or 460,000 kWh yearly. This would be the same as taking out 317 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. The solar array will have 1,210 photovoltaic panels on the ground-keeping buildings and field house.
“The Ravens are a recognized leader in the NFL, and Constellation is proud to help them achieve their goals by powering their headquarters with energy from the Constellation solar power system,” said Constellation Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Bruce Stewart.
“We are committed to advancing renewable energy in Maryland, and we hope this project will showcase the benefits of solar power to all Ravens players, employees and fans,” Stewart added.
Baltimore is no stranger to green initiatives, as the Ravens home field, M&T Bank Stadium, was the first in the NFL to reach LEED-certified Gold designation from the US Green Building council.
NFL sustainability efforts have grown in recent years. This includes efforts by the Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers, and Arizona Cardinals, to name a few teams that have invested in renewables and energy efficiency.
It’s a trends which will continue to grow as prices for solar and wind continue to fall, which has helped boost overall solar energy in sports stadiums across the US.
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