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NRG Energy completes an energy technology project at NRG Park®, the 350-acre sports and entertainment complex encompassing NRG Stadium® and surrounding facilities. The efficient and renewable energy installations include solar panels, mobile phone power stations, electric vehicle charging stations, outdoor roof lighting and energy-efficient LED lights, making NRG Stadium the first professional sports venue in Texas to draw upon these advanced features.
“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.”
To complement NRG Park’s design, hundreds of solar panels and colorful lighting were installed above pedestrian walkways and gathering places, providing shade to visitors and helping power the facilities. The panels are located atop the two pedestrian bridges that span Kirby Drive, above the stadium entrance at Budweiser Plaza and over the new NRG EVgo® charging station lot. These installations are expected to generate 181kW of renewable energy at the home of the Houston Texans and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™. Also located at NRG Stadium are seven NRG Street Charge® stations, each a 12.5-foot tower equipped with solar panels and a bevy of mobile device charging cables where visitors can plug in and get a free charge.
The project’s completion coincides with Energy Action Month, a nationally recognized initiative each October that focuses attention on the electricity we use in our daily lives and encourages people to improve their energy efficiency. Last October, NRG Stadium heeded this call to action by switching on its 65,000 LED lights for the first time. This extensive system of high-efficiency lighting made the stadium one of the first in professional sports to install this technology, which uses 60 percent less energy than the prior lights.
These sustainable energy installations also include six NRG EVgo charging stations, located along the northwest corner of the Green Lot across from the West VIP entrance. Each charging bay is equipped with a level 2 charger, which provides 12-25 miles of range per hour of charging. All are available for use by any EV driver any day of the week, excluding certain event days.
“NRG Park has welcomed some of the world’s top entertainers, most spirited sports fans and respected corporations,” said Edgar Colon, chairman of the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation. “Through the completion of the solar installation, we are proud to be a part of the energy innovation conversation and serve as a model for others to follow.”