High-efficiency crystalline-si cell and module manufactuer Suniva announced it has supplied OPTimus® solar panels for Huston’s NRG Park® as part of an exclusive sustainable energy project.
NRG Park, located in Harris County, is a premier 350-acre sports and entertainment complex encompassing NRG Stadium®, NRG Center and NRG Arena along with 26,000 parking spaces. The complex consists of several renewable energy installations including the Suniva OPTimus® solar panels, plus NRG Street Charge® solar-powered mobile phone charging stations, electric vehicle charging stations and energy-efficient LED lights inside and on the roof of the stadium. The Suniva panels are part of a sophisticated canopy system covering the pedestrian walkways and gathering places, to provide shade to visitors and help power the facilities.
NRG led the development and installation of these energy technology upgrades over an 18-month period, looking at the stadium and identifying opportunities to harness its infrastructure and seamlessly integrate smart energy solutions.
“NRG and Reliant are excited to enhance NRG Park so locals and visitors from around the world can experience first-hand new energy innovations that they might have heard or read about,” said Elizabeth Killinger, president of NRG Retail and Reliant. “We want to raise the bar for what consumers expect from their power company and inspire people to consider adopting energy innovations at home, at work and on-the-go.”
“We are honored to be a part of NRG Park’s renewable energy development plan,” said Matt Card, vice president of global sales and marketing of Suniva. “It’s exciting to think about how many millions of people will have the opportunity to experience solar energy at work in this high-profile entertainment and sports venue. Suniva’s power-dense OPTimus panels are an ideal fit for Covered Structure Systems, such as this.”
Suniva celebrated its eight-year anniversary as America’s leading U.S.-born, U.S.-operated solar manufacturer last month, just before it announced the expansion of its manufacturing capacity at its Georgia headquarters to 400MW. This expansion news came just one year after the opening of its second U.S.-based facility in Saginaw Township, Michigan.
(Photo: the NRG Stadium in NRG Park. Source: NRG Park)