A worker installs solar panels at Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres.sullivan solar power
First baseman Eric Hosmer isn’t the only new power source in San Diego.
The San Diego Padres this week will debut a solar energy system at Petco Park capable of generating more renewable energy than all of the other MLB solar installations combined.
The system, installed by San Diego-based Sullivan Solar Power, consists of 716 high-efficiency, 470-watt SunPower solar modules, and is expected to produce over 12 million kilowatt hours over the next 25 years. That’s enough energy to power 1,200 houses, according to Sullivan.
The energy will power the club’s front offices, according to Mark Guglielmo, Padres vice president of ballpark operations and general manager of Petco Park. Guglielmo said the project cost the team “slightly south of $1 million,” but is expected to save the club more than $4.1 million over the next quarter of a century.
In addition to the solar array, the team this winter replaced its right-field scoreboard with a $2 million Daktronics videoboard and extended netting beyond the dugouts. Those projects concluded a five-year, $51 million stadium improvement campaign.
— David Broughton
Sun-powered ballparks
In addition to Petco Park, eight other MLB clubs use solar panels to generate renewable energy.
AT&T Park (2007)
The San Francisco Giants’ system generates energy for PG&E customers in the City and County of San Francisco. PG&E installed 590 Sharp panels on the Portwalk along McCovey Cove, on a canopy over the Willie Mays pedestrian ramp and on the roof of the team’s administrative building. The system produces approximately 169,000 kilowatt hours per year, which is enough to power the ballpark’s videoboard for a year.
Coors Field (2007)
Independent Power Systems partnered with Xcel Energy to install the system. The Colorado Rockies paid for the system, which produces over 14,000 kilowatt hours of energy annually, more than enough to offset the consumption of the Rockpile LED board over one year.
Progressive Field (2007)
The Cleveland Indians’ array generates about 15,000 kilowatt hours per year, enough power to run the 400-plus television sets at the ballpark. The system sits atop a picnic pavilion, providing shade for outdoor eating. The project cost $180,000, with the Indians investing $100,000, $50,000 provided by the Cleveland Foundation and $30,000 from the Ohio Department of Development.
Fenway Park (2008)
The solar thermal system is on the roof behind home plate and helps heat the water that is used throughout the Boston Red Sox facility. The panels replace 37 percent of the gas traditionally used for the heating process.
Chase Field (2011)
The Arizona Diamondbacks’ APS Solar Pavilion generates 100,000 kilowatt hours annually, enough electricity to power the lights at Chase Field for 11 home games. The pavilion provides crucial shade for fans at the ballpark’s busiest gates.
Safeco Field (2012)
Panels were installed on the elevator canopy for the parking garage and over the skywalk. The system produces 40,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually, reducing the need for conventional electricity for the garage by 10 to 30 percent. Panasonic, which is a sponsor of the Seattle Mariners, provided the system at a discount.
Busch Stadium (2012)
The St. Louis Cardinals partnered with Microgrid Energy, the Electrical Connection, and Sachs Electric to install a system that provides the Ballpark Village site with approximately 35,000 kilowatt hours of energy per year. Panels were installed in three areas: the stadium rooftop, a concession area canopy and an awning over a solar energy educational kiosk in the Ford Plaza.
Kauffman Stadium (2012)
Kansas City Power and Light installed the system, which produces approximately 36,000 kilowatt hours of energy per year. Every seat in the stadium has a view of the panels, which are equally distributed on each side of the CrownVision board.
