Renewable Energy Powers Super Bowl XLVI: Travel Offsets and Solar Energy Expand “Greening”

INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National Football League has been “greening” the management of Super Bowl for 18 years. This year, together with the Indianapolis Super Bowl XLVI Host Committee, the NFL has extended the use of ’green‘ power to all six major Super Bowl facilities. Everything from the computers in the Motorola Super Bowl XLVI Media Center to the lights that shine down on the teams as they compete during Super Bowl will be powered by green energy.

“Together, we have been able to expand the way we address greenhouse gas emissions and leave a permanent benefit to the host community.”

Green Mountain Energy Company, the nation’s longest serving provider of green power, was selected to supply 15,000 megawatt hours of renewable energy certificates (RECs) to offset greenhouse gas emissions associated with the electricity used at the major NFL venues. These include Lucas Oil Stadium, site of Super Bowl XLVI, the Indiana Convention Center, site of the NFL Experience Football Theme Park, and all four of the major NFL hotels including the NFL Headquarters, the Super Bowl Media Center, and the AFC and NFC team hotels.

The RECs used to green Super Bowl XLVI are being generated at wind farms located in North Dakota. Renewable energy certificates provide an additional revenue stream that can help build future renewable energy facilities.

Overall, the RECs will avoid more than 14,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions associated with Super Bowl electricity consumption over the course of the month-long period leading up to and immediately following Super Bowl XLVI.

Providing the RECs is only the beginning of Green Mountain's involvement in this year's Super Bowl. The company is also donating a residential solar array to be incorporated into the Near East Side Legacy Project, an Indianapolis Host Committee effort to revitalize one of the city's central neighborhoods.

Green Mountain has also joined the NFL to support urban forestry projects that will take place in the spring, after Super Bowl has come and gone. Trees will be planted in Indianapolis neighborhoods in partnership with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful. The final tree planting event will include the annual passing of a “golden shovel” to next year's New Orleans Super Bowl XLVII Host Committee – a tradition that began in 2008.

In addition, Green Mountain will provide carbon offsets to balance out the greenhouse gas emissions created by air and ground travel by the AFC and NFC teams competing in Super Bowl. These high quality, third party certified offsets will mitigate the environmental impact created by transportation greenhouse gas emissions.

“Green Mountain Energy Company has helped us reduce the overall environmental impact of Super Bowl activities,” according to NFL Environmental Program Director Jack Groh. “Together, we have been able to expand the way we address greenhouse gas emissions and leave a permanent benefit to the host community.”

In addition to Green Mountain’s support for Super Bowl environmental projects, the company is providing renewable energy certificates to green the electricity used at Aloha Stadium, site of the 2012 NFL Pro Bowl. Green Mountain, along with the NFL and nearly a dozen local partners, is also helping to fund a local urban forestry project at the Waianae Boys and Girls Club in Hawaii.

About the NFL Environmental Program:

The NFL Environmental Program, now in its 18th year, develops projects each year to address solid waste, food waste, material reuse, the needs for books and sports equipment for children in need and the overall climate change impact of Super Bowl events.

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