NFL backs green power

US power company NRG Energy (NRG) and its subsidiary Reliant,  a well-known retail electricity provider in Texas, have teamed up with the NFL to provide 100% green-e certified renewable energy to NRG Stadium, site of Super Bowl LI, and the George R. Brown Convention Center, location of the NFL Experience and other NFL celebrations in Houston.

“Reducing the environmental impact of our events is something we have worked toward for more than 20 years,” said Jack Groh, Director of the NFL Environmental Program.

He added: “Using clean energy at our largest events, we can minimise the climate impact of our activities. This is something that’s good for business, and good for our fans and the communities where we live.”

“As the official electricity company of NRG Stadium, we are proud to support the NFL and Houston by powering the largest US sporting event with renewable energy certificates together with the onsite efficiency and renewable energy solutions,” said Bruno Sarda, VP of Sustainability at NRG.

Sarda added: “At NRG, we want fans to benefit from sustainable solutions and together with the NFL, we can demonstrate that even a huge event like the Super Bowl can significantly reduce its energy usage.”

For a period leading up to, during and following the big game, for every megawatt hour of electricity used to power these events, NRG and Reliant will purchase and retire one Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) on behalf of Super Bowl LI.

The RECs account for the electricity used at NRG Stadium and the George R. Brown Convention Center, supporting renewable energy and the over one hundred thousand fans that visited Houston to celebrate the Super Bowl (5 February, 2017).

This story was written by Liz Gyekye, editor of Bioenergy Insight.