TD Bank Ballpark solar initiative completed - Bridgewater, NJ - News Article Locations on Waymarking.com

On May 2, 2013, NJ.com posted the following story:

"TD Bank Ballpark solar initiative completed

By The Messenger-Gazette
on May 02, 2013 at 3:29 PM, updated May 02, 2013 at 3:32 PM

Somerset County Improvement Authority has completed their solar initiative on the site of TD Bank Ballpark, the home of the Somerset Patriots Baseball Club.

“TD Bank Ballpark is now one of the most environmentally friendly facilities in all of minor league baseball. The initiative of Somerset County and the Board of Chosen Freeholder to reduce the carbon footprint has shown their continued respect and commitment to all those that live and work in Somerset County. We’d like to thank the Freeholders, led by Director Peter Palmer and Deputy Director Patrick Scaglione, as well as all the Somerset County professional engineering staff and workers on the project. Special attention was paid to integrate and make part of the entire ‘look and feel’ of the Somerset Patriots and our home,” said Steve Kalafer, Chairman of the Somerset Patriots Baseball Club.

The installation of the 3,465 solar panels at the ballpark, located in both the Red and White parking lots, is part of a Somerset County effort to provide renewable energy sources to businesses and residents to help the area go green.

The solar initiative at TD Bank Ballpark, or more specifically photovoltaic (PV) system, will produce an expected 1,140,000 kWh annually. 90% is guaranteed by Sunlight General, the system owner and operator of the PV system for the next 15 years.

“These solar panels are an exciting addition to our very popular county ballpark,” said Freeholder Director Peter S. Palmer. “This is one of 37 sites around the county where solar panels are being installed during the second phase of our taxpayer-neutral renewable energy program; another 31 were completed last year. Once again, Somerset County is on the cutting edge of ‘green’ technology.”

The PV power is connected to the site’s utility meter and is expected to supplement 88% of the consumption used at the ballpark. The PSE&G puts in a bi-directional meter on site since most of the ballpark’s consumption is used at night and the panels produce energy during the day. This consequently means, the utility meter will spin backwards during the day with the production of power from the PV modules and forward at night during baseball games.

Some environmental benefits equivalent to the 1,141,510 kWh annually can be described as follows:
- 805 Metric Tons of CO2
- Annual greenhouse gas emissions from 168 passenger vehicles
- CO2 emissions from 90,291 gallons of gasoline consumed
- CO2 emissions from the electricity use of 131 homes for one year
- Carbon sequestered annually by 660 acres of U.S. forests
- CO2 emissions from burning 3.5 railcars’ worth of coal

The 2013 Somerset Patriots Season presented by Ford is underway. For information and tickets, call 908-252-0700 or visit somersetpatriots.com."

Type of publication: Internet Only When was the article reported?: 05/02/2013 Publication: nj.com Article Url: [Web Link] Is Registration Required?: no How widespread was the article reported?: local News Category: Health/Medicine

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