US Airways Center announces solar installation

The US Airways Center in Arizona, home to NBA team the Phoenix Suns, will soon be going green with the announcement of a new solar power project. The system is expected to be operational in 2009 and reduce the traditional power usage for a portion of the center’s Casino Arizona Pavilion load by around 25%.

The solar photovoltaic (PV) system, to be located on the fifth level of the US Airways Center parking garage, will utilize 1,125 Suntech panels, cover approximately 18,000 square feet and produce 331,233 kilowatt-hours of clean energy each year.

The project, which involves collaboration between the Phoenix Suns, APS (Arizona’s largest electricity utility) and the Phoenix City, will take advantage of a financial incentive through the Renewable Incentive Program approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission. It will be safely interconnected to the grid and APS will provide supporting resources to the Suns and the City of Phoenix, which owns the arena. The 194-kilowatt AC solar energy system will be designed and installed by EI Solutions and financed and operated by Tioga Energy.

By using the solar power system, the Phoenix Suns and APS will eliminate the generation of more than 440,000 pounds of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) per year (based upon Ariz. average per the EPA eGRID 2004 data). These emission amount to the CO2 absorbency of 46 acres of pine trees or more than 440,000 car-miles avoided.