49ers, NRG to open first LEED certified football stadium

While the 49ers are certainly focused on their next all important game — the Super Bowl — the environmentally conscious 49ers player or fan has to be quite excited about the latest development with the Niners new home.

The Santa Clara Stadium Authority and the 49ers have agreed in principle on a deal that would bring sustainable energy to the soon to be opened Santa Clara Stadium. Energy company NRG will be helping with the initiative, installing a number of solar elements to the stadium, including solar array covered bridges, a solar canopy and multiple solar panels.

NRG already serves as one of the Founding Partners of the Stadium and the exclusive sustainable energy partner of the 49ers.

“NRG is much more than a Founding Partner, they are providing the energy leadership, infrastructure and expertise to help us achieve the vision of making the new Santa Clara Stadium an economically and environmentally sustainable showcase for innovation,” said Jed York, Chief Executive Officer, San Francisco 49ers. “As we strive to build a stadium that embodies all that is unique and special about both the Bay Area and Silicon Valley, this partnership with NRG will make very lofty goals become realities.”

Under the deal, the solar upgrade will have a total peak capacity of roughly 400kW and will actually provide enough power over the course of a year to offset the power consumed at the stadium during Niners home games. The result? The first professional sports venue in California to achieve net zero energy performance.

“The 49ers are not only one of the leading and most successful franchises in the history of the NFL, they have also been for decades community leaders in the Bay Area and with the entire 49ers fan base. Today and going forward, we are honored to support the 49ers as they extend their off-the-field community leadership into the critically important arena of clean and sustainable energy,” said David Crane, President and CEO of NRG Energy. “And NRG is proud to partner with the San Francisco 49ers and the Santa Clara Stadium Authority in the pursuit of another milestone, the LEED certification of their new stadium.”

NRG is continuing to work on various green initiatives with sports teams, having worked with the New England Patriots and the New York Mets in recent years to bring solar energy to their respective stadiums.

(via Press Release)