San Francisco Giants And PG&E Cut Ribbon On AT&T Park Solar Energy Installation
San Francisco, June 29, 2007
Source: Pacific Gas and Electric Co. /press release
http://www.pge.com/news/news_releases/q2_2007/070629.html
The San Francisco Giants and Pacific Gas and Electric Company today announced the completion of the solar energy system installation at AT&T Park. The panels at AT&T Park, the first ballpark in Major League Baseball (MLB) with a solar system, now provide up to 122 kilowatts of renewable energy for PG&E’s customers in San Francisco and throughout its service area.
“The solar installation at AT&T Park is a milestone for all major U.S. sporting venues,” said Peter Magowan, Giants president and managing general partner. “Through this partnership, we hope to raise awareness about the importance of using energy wisely and efficiently and about the need to develop and utilize renewable energy sources.”
The AT&T Park solar installation consists of 590 Sharp solar panels in three areas of AT&T Park– on the Port Walk along McCovey Cove, on the newly erected canopy over the Willie Mays pedestrian ramp, and on the roof of the Giants Building. Once connected to the grid prior to Major League Baseball’s All-Star Week festivities, the clean energy from these solar panels will flow directly to PG&E’s customers throughout northern and central California.
In addition to bringing PG&E’s customers more clean energy, the visibility and the location of the ballpark also serve as a way to raise awareness of the value of renewable power – especially in the fight against climate change. PG&E is also looking in our home city of San Francisco and throughout our service area for other locations that will showcase the benefits of solar power.
“Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and protecting our environment requires bold leadership and vision,” said Gavin Newsom, Mayor of the City and County of San Francisco. “We applaud the Giants and PG&E for their commitment to solar energy and for their long-term focus on helping to make San Francisco the greenest city in the nation.”
“The completion of the AT&T Park solar installation reflects our shared vision with the Giants to make San Francisco the greenest city in the nation,” said Tom King, CEO of Pacific Gas and Electric Company. “PG&E is committed to exploring innovative solutions, like solar, wave and tidal power, to increase the amount of renewable energy that we bring the City and County of San Francisco and all of the communities we serve.”
Since its inception, the Giants have made energy conservation a priority in AT&T Park’s design and daily operations. The park was designed to be an energy efficient facility — utilizing fluorescent lighting, motion sensor lighting and energy management systems. The Giants and PG&E are also working together to identify additional ways to create energy-saving opportunities. For example, the new Diamond Vision scoreboard will use 78% less energy than the ballpark’s original scoreboard. Additionally, PG&E and the Giants have launched a five-year public awareness campaign to educate and encourage Giants fans to use energy responsibly.
The completion of the solar installation at AT&T Park is the latest example of PG&E’s role in bringing solar power to San Francisco. PG&E has committed to spending more than $7.5 million on solar installations throughout the city, including its own service center. $5 million will go to projects like AT&T Park that generate power for all of its customers. If approved by the California Public Utilities Commission, this $5 million investments, estimated to be fractions on the penny for each PG&E customer, would be included in the company’s rates.
In addition, PG&E is making charitable contributions of another $2.5 million to help non-profit organizations and schools in San Francisco install solar power. In January, the company helped the San Francisco LGBT Center install a 96 panel solar system and the company recently installed a solar panel at San Francisco’s A.P. Giannini Middle School.
PG&E has interconnected more than 15,000 customer-owned solar-generating systems to the power grid – representing more than 110 megawatts and more than any other utility in the nation. In San Francisco, PG&E has helped interconnect almost 600 of these solar systems. For more information on PG&E’s environmental efforts, please visit www.pge.com/environment.