Arena Pernambuco, playing host to five 2014 FIFA World Cup matches, will be powered in part by the first solar power plant in the Brazilian State of Pernambuco.
The unique ground-mount system featuring more than 3,650 solar panels supplied by Yingli Solar, will deliver clean electricity to the Arena and the local community’s electricity grid. The system is projected to generate more than 1500 MWh of electricity annually, which is equal to approximately 6,000 Brazillians’ annual electricity consumption, and will meet 30% of the Arena’s electricity demand. Clean solar energy will be delivered to the local community’s electricity grid through Brazil’s net energy metering program when the Arena is not in use. The system’s energy performance will also be tracked at the Visitor’s Center to educate the public about solar energy.
Read the full article here.
From World Water Day on March 22 to Earth Day on April 22, AEG 1EARTH has launched a water conservation campaign at its AEG Facilities-affiliated venues to raise awareness about the growing strain on global water resources. The campaign launched today at AEG Facilities venues in California, which has experienced recent severe drought conditions, as part of the company’s broader sustainability initiative at its venues around the world.
The campaign will include a contest between the Bakersfield Condors and Ontario (CA) Reign of the ECHL hockey league that involves month-long water usage tracking as the two teams compete to conserve the most water at their respective home venues, Rabobank Arena and Citizens Business Bank Arena. AEG 1EARTH will also collaborate with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power at the Earth Fair during NBA Green Week to highlight water conservation tips for fans attending games at the STAPLES Center. The program aims to highlight and encourage greater conservation both at AEG Facilities venues and in the broader communities the venues serve.
“Thousands of people pass through our doors every day, giving us a unique opportunity to reach the public,” said AEG Senior Director of Energy and Environment Systems John Marler about the campaign. “With this campaign, we’re taking advantage of that opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of water conservation not only in our AEG Facilities venues in California, where the drought has been particularly severe, but throughout the nation.”
Read the full article here.
According to the U.S. EPA, “More food [waste] reaches landfills and incinerators than any other single material in municipal solid waste….In 2011 alone, more than 36 million tons of food waste was generated, with only four percent diverted from landfills and incinerators for composting.”
The guide released this week by the NRDC, with support from the Green Sports Alliance, aims to improve these statistics.
The NRDC Guide to Composting at Sports Venues is designed to assist stadiums and arenas in increasing their diversion of food and yard wastes for beneficial use – identifying cost-competitive, ecologically superior ways to manage their organic waste stream.
The resource features a “Quick Start Guide” and snapshots of successful composting programs at sports venues across the country.
“Waste diversion is the single most visible environmental initiative that any sports venue can undertake. Adopting a composting program has proven to be quite successful thanks to recent advances in packaging, compostable serviceware, and the growing availability of commercial composters. This guide is a valuable resource that will help us view our waste stream as a resource and make composting a normal part of stadium operations.” Scott Jenkins | Stadium General Manager, AMB Sports & Entertainment Group; Green Sports Alliance Chairman
Click here to download the NRDC Guide to Composting at Sports Venues.
2013 Green Sports Alliance Summit Kicks off Today in NYC with the Release of Collegiate Game Changers Report