A few months ago, we had written a post on how the stadium used by Washington Redskins for their practices was getting solar modules as a source of electricity. Now, it seems like another major stadium, along with its adjacent shopping complex, are about to get completely powered by solar PV modules. Authorities of the Gillette Stadium, located in Massachusetts, recently announced that they have signed an electricity supply agreement with Patriot Place, the shopping mall located right next door to the stadium.

The shopping mall is not new to embracing solar power, however. It has been running a massive solar energy system of around 525 KW capacity, since 2009. Constructed with more than 2,500 solar modules, the installation generates enough power to meet somewhere around 30% of the total energy requirement of the 1.3 million sq ft complex.

The solar power modules being installed for Gillette Stadium will be extensions of the system already being used by the shopping center. The 1 MW rooftop solar farm will provide more than 60% of the total energy required by the shopping center, and channel the rest to keep most electrical systems in the stadium running smoothly. The modules shall be installed on walkways and the roof of the center, and are expected to generate more than 1 million KW-h of electricity, every year. The installation is going on as of now, and is scheduled to be complete before the 2012-2013 NFL Season starts.

Authorities of both the shopping center and the stadium have stated that once the installation is completed, the solar energy system shall be counted among the largest sustainable energy harnessing systems at a leading sports venue, across United States. The statement certainly brings hope in a time when rapid growth of solar energy industry is necessary for the good of the entire planet. Now let us hope other sports venues in the US also start following the same path. It will benefit not just the stadiums, but also the entire nation, in the long run.