January 31, 2014
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, based on information received from McKinstry (for CenturyLink Field), a manufacturer of photovoltaic systems, and NRG Energy (for all other stadiums)
On February 2, MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, will host Super Bowl XLVIII. During the game, aerial footage will likely show 916 external LED lights powered by 1,350 photovoltaic (PV) solar panels with a total generating capacity of 276 kilowatts (kW).
MetLife Stadium, home of the New York Jets and New York Giants, opened in 2010 and its photovoltaic installation was completed in August 2012. The total capacity of photovoltaic installations is usually dwarfed by the energy requirements needed to power a football stadium during matches and other events, but these on-site energy systems can help reduce the amount of electricity drawn from the local utility grid. When the stadiums are not in use, their photovoltaic systems can supply electricity to the local grid.
To date, PV installation projects at NFL facilities are concentrated in the Northeast region of the United States and on the West Coast.
Source: NRG Energy, used with permission
Main Contributors: Dale Sweetnam, April Lee