Seattle Mariners swing for fences with solar at Team's Arizona training facility

GREENWICH, SCOTTSDALE & SEATTLE, USA: Healthy Planet Partners, LLC (HPP), a Clean Energy Solutions Fund that finances, implements and maintains distributed energy and energy efficiency projects that optimize performance in commercial buildings, and Kyocera Solar, Inc. announced the completion of a solar rooftop and carport system at the Seattle Mariners Spring Training facility in Peoria, AZ.

HPP developed and financed the project with partner Kyocera Solar which provided engineering and project management support as well as acting as a finance partner.  By doing so, Kyocera lowers the risk and the associated cost of capital to HPP.  Sky Engineering and Construction Inc. built the system at the Peoria Sports Complex, using Kyocera’s industry-leading, high-efficiency solar modules.

This 345kW solar array will generate approximately 529MWh of clean electricity annually.  The project will also eliminate approximately 365 metric tons of CO2 emissions, which is the environmental equivalent of powering more than thirty-three homes for one year or burning more than 391,722 pounds of coal, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator.

“The Seattle Mariners enjoyed working with HPP, Kyocera and Sky Engineering to deploy this solar project; in our parlance – they’ve hit a home run,” said Joe Myhra, Seattle Mariners VP of ballpark operations.

“Incorporating solar in our energy mix, along with deploying other sustainable practices, is at the core of our operations.  Not only is ‘greening’ our facilities the right thing to do, it's also good for the corporate bottom line and we know this PV array at our Arizona training facility will be an important element in our overall energy savings plans.”

The new solar installation reinforces environmental responsibility efforts of the Mariners, which have resulted in savings of more than $1.75 MM in electricity, natural gas, water, and sewer charges since 2006. The team has been named American League Recycling Champions by Major League Baseball the last two consecutive years.

Kyocera Solar Inc., the only solar module manufacturer to earn the highest rating across all six PV module test categories in GTM Research’s July 2014 PV Module Reliability Scorecard, served as technical advisor for the project, which was conceptualized by HPP.  The 1,380 Kyocera KU250 modules will also provide shade to 96 vehicles at the complex, shielding them from the powerful Arizona sun.