Sun to Help Power Suns at Home in 2009

Since the beginning, the Phoenix Suns have always done everything in their power to preserve the environment as much as possible. On Thursday, Planet Orange got a little bit greener, following the announcement that solar panels would soon be installed on the upper level of the US Airways Center parking garage to help power the Casino Arizona Pavilion.

The system is expected to be operational in 2009 and will produce 331,233 kilowatt-hours of energy each year. To help, 1,125 Suntech total panels will be utilized, covering approximately 18,000 square feet. EI Solutions will be installing the system, which will help eliminate more than an estimated 440,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year from the environment.

“We expect the solar technology to reduce the traditional power usage for a portion of the center’s Casino Arizona Pavilion load by 25 percent,” Suns General Manager Steve Kerr said.

The emission offsets equal the CO₂ absorbing power of 46 acres of pine trees or more than 440,000 car-miles avoided.

“I understand things a lot better in basketball terms so they told me that was the equivalent of 26 Suns home games each season,” Kerr laughed.

Two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash was also in attendance to offer his support. Always active when it comes to preserving the environment in Phoenix and beyond, Nash said this project was one he considered especially beneficial.

“For starters,” Nash told Suns.com, “we’re conserving energy, but maybe more important is the education and awareness we’ll be providing fans. Millions of people are going to come through this arena for years to come and for them all to understand that part of the energy in this arena is solar can provide a major impact.”

Of course, a project this big takes teamwork, and the Suns were not alone in their quest to go solar. The organization teamed up with both APS and the City of Phoenix to make this dream a reality. According to APS CEO Don Brandt, the decision to shed a little solar light onto the US Airways Center was a no-brainer.

“We want to make Arizona the solar capital of the world, and clean, solar energy will play a vital role in Arizona’s future,” Brandt said. “We got involved in this project because solar installations at large businesses make a tangible difference. Not only do they benefit the environment and the community, but they can also make good business sense.”

Kerr added, “This is the perfect partnership not only because of our team’s name, but because of the solar resources we have here in the state of Arizona. On top of that, we’ve got the greatest spokesman in sports for being environmentally friendly in Steve Nash. He’s genuinely passionate about this project to the point he’s utilizing solar energy in his own house.”

Over the past few seasons, Steve Nash and the Suns organization have found more and more ways to become environmentally friendly, recently implementing recycling programs throughout employee offices and initiating an incentive-driven employee carpooling program.

“To live in the Valley of the Sun and have such an abundance of that resource, I feel it’s time to take advantage and be active,” Nash said. “Having a solar system like this installed right here in the arena is something I’m extremely proud of.”