NFL's Redskins Go Solar

A Washington Post article says the Washington Redskins are now installing 8,000 solar panels in a parking lot at their FedEx Field facility that will generate enough electricity to supply a portion of the stadium's power on game days and all of its electricity the rest of the week. The article said the panels will generate 2MW — enough to decrease FedEx Field's annual energy use by 15 percent. The PV panels will be used on an 850-space carport that will also feature 10 charging stations for electric vehicles.

NRG Energy, Princeton, N.J., the company handling the installation, will be featured prominently in a large display near one of the entry gates that will inform fans about renewable energy and showcase clean-energy technologies. The installation will include translucent solar panels, sculptures featuring thin-film solar technology, and 10 electric-vehicle charging stations from NRG's eVgo charging network. NRG's subsidiary Reliant Energy will be the official provider for all the electricity to power the Redskins in their home stadium. Reliant, one of the largest retail electricity providers in the Texas market, is expanding both its commercial and residential businesses to several states in the Northeast, including Maryland.