NRG Energy, Inc. has received approval from the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation’s board for a proposal to create a high-level sustainability master plan for the future of NRG Park as well as the installation of solar panels, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and energy-efficient LED lighting.
These updates will make the newly rebranded NRG Stadium the first professional football stadium in the country to be equipped with energy-efficient LED lighting on the field and the first professional football stadium in Texas with a solar installation.
Courtesy of NRG
The NRG Park sustainability improvements are part of a larger effort by NRG to help demonstrate to consumers the benefits of sustainable, reliable power by showcasing the innovative technologies available at professional football stadiums throughout the country. With the completion of the NRG Park project, the company will have installed sustainable energy solutions at six stadiums throughout the country.
“With our efforts at NRG Park and other professional football stadiums across the country, we’re doing more than generating clean power,” said NRG President and CEO David Crane. “We’re creating awareness of the possibilities sustainable energy can bring here and now, and in doing so, we hope to inspire people to embrace new clean energy solutions.”
The master plan along with the proposed improvements will enable visitors to experience sustainable energy in new ways. The NRG Park improvements will include LED field lighting for NRG Stadium and four NRG Haven Solar Canopies. Solar canopies will be located on top of the bridges that span Kirby Drive, one will be located at the ticket booths on the south side of NRG Stadium, and one will be located in the new NRG eVgo electric vehicle charging station lot.
NRG will also install six eVgo electric vehicle charging stations at the park, which will become part of the NRG eVgo® network that supports charging needs for electric vehicle drivers at home, at work, on the road, at their apartment community or even at the airport.
NRG will continue to work closely with its partners to develop a high-level sustainability master plan for the future of NRG Park and its related facilities including NRG Stadium. NRG will use its knowledge, partnerships and resources to help develop a sustainability plan that creates real change for the Park and enhances NRG Stadium’s position as a cutting-edge sports venue. Four NRG PivitPoints™ kiosk stations were placed in NRG Center earlier this year giving visitors a convenient way to rent portable power packs to charge their mobile devices while on the go.
“Working together with our partners at the Houston Texans, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, SMG Management and the Harris County Sports & Conventions Corporation, we’re excited to demonstrate technological advancements in on-site power generation,” said Elizabeth Killinger, president of NRG Energy Texas Retail and Reliant. “The enhancements we are making at NRG Park represent exciting progress toward a new era of personal power for Houstonians and people from around the world who visit our great city. The Park will provide the opportunity for folks to see firsthand what is possible in their homes and businesses and ultimately make choices about solutions that are right for them.”
NRG has installed various sustainable solutions such as solar panels, micro-wind turbines and EV charging stations at professional football stadiums in Foxboro, Mass; East Rutherford, NJ; Washington, DC; Philadelphia, PA and San Francisco, CA. Aside from professional football stadiums, through its family of companies, NRG has become one of the nation's largest solar developers. As of April 2014, it owned and operated more than 1,200 megawatts of solar capacity, and its recent acquisitions have made it the third largest US-based renewable energy generator with its multi-state wind and solar portfolio and a leading provider of residential solar solutions as well.
In Texas, NRG has been the parent company of Reliant since 2009 and has helped introduce multiple innovative energy solutions to Reliant customers, from portable power charging stations (NRG PivitPoints) to enabling energy conservation and choice through an array of retail electricity plans, thermostats, solar installations for the home and more.
For more information about the project, visit www.nrgenergy.com/nrgpark/.