commentConstruction began on a new shade structure at Chase Field that will generate 75 KW of solar power upon completion in May, just in time to provide Arizona Diamondbacks fans with some much-needed shade for Phoenix’s hot summer months.
Through a partnership between the Diamondbacks, Maricopa County Stadium District and Phoenix-based utility APS, the structure will cover 17,280 sq ft of the plaza near the ballpark’s western entrances and ticket booths. The Phoenix office of Dallas-based HKS Inc. is the architect for the project. Renewable Energy Contracting, a division of Phoenix-based Ironco Enterprises LLC, is the general contractor.
APS plans to use the solar facility, which will have a 20-year life span, as a technical demonstration project. It will include electric vehicle charging stations and test a battery storage system. “Behind the scenes, this will be a working laboratory,” says APS President Don Robinson in a statement. “We will study what’s possible with urban solar arrays and how we can power electric vehicles directly from the sun.”
The project will also feature educational exhibits on renewable energy, energy efficiency, electric vehicles and recycling.
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