Sharp Electronics Corporation and the San Francisco Giants Baseball Club announced Sharp’s sponsorship of Major League Baseball will promote solar power as an energy alternative. The sponsorship begins with the 2005 season and will include prominent signage and a permanent solar demonstration at SBC Park. Sharp Electronics is the U.S. subsidiary of Sharp Corporation, Osaka, Japan, the world’s leading producer of solar energy and the U.S. market leader. Sharp sponsors more than two dozen professional sports teams in the U.S., and the Giants partnership is the first promoting solar energy. It is believed the agreement also represents a first in both the solar and sports industries.
Complementing a highly visible Sharp Solar sign in left-center field, Sharp will install a 4.5Kw solar energy system on the roof adjacent to the Giants offices at SBC Park. The system will consist of 27 167-watt Sharp solar modules and is typical of the kind of system used on a standard California residence.
The system will transfer energy directly into the ballpark’s electrical grid. The system’s electrical output will be monitored by a multi-media kiosk located in the leftfield concourse. Utilizing a touch-screen display, fans can access information about the system, learn how solar energy works and its benefits and request additional information about solar from Sharp.
Sharp sponsorship of the “Crowd Noise Meter” at selected games and other promotional programs will be developed to draw attention to the stadium’s solar energy system. The multi-year nature of the sponsorship will enable Sharp and the Giants to discuss development of a solar energy system designed to meet more of the ballpark’s energy requirements in the future.
According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), California is the third largest market in the world for solar energy, ranking just behind Japan and Germany. In 2004, approximately 60 mega-watts of new solar capacity was installed in the state. This is the equivalent of adding solar energy systems to 30,000 average-size homes. Meanwhile, solar energy usage in the United States grew 27 percent in 2004 compared to a 17 percent increase in 2003.
“Led by California, more and more states are creating diversified energy portfolios, and this has contributed to the growth of a true domestic solar energy industry,” said Toshihiko Fujimoto, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Sharp Electronics Corporation. “With the recent announcement of California’s ‘one million solar roofs initiative,’ the timing is right to raise awareness of solar through an association with a major, professional sports franchise,” he said.
“The Giants are proud of our many ‘first-of-their-kind’ endeavors which we have incorporated into our operations at SBC Park. We have been on the cutting edge in adapting technologies and procedures that benefit the fan experience. Our partnership with Sharp enables us to stay on top of important trends and technologies that enhance the SBC Park experience,” said Jorge Costa, San Francisco Giants senior vice president of ballpark operations.
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