Pocono Raceway, the famous stock car track in Pennsylvania that hosts two Sprint Cup races each year, has recently fired up a 25-acre solar farm to fill the power needs. The track is now the largest solar powered sports facility in the world. The move will cost the track some parking spaces (which they may not need judging by recent attendance numbers) but will save them huge money, and actually make them some cash each year.

The $16-million investment will allow the track to produce all of its own energy and also sell a sizable amount back to the electric company for a profit that may actually reach close to a million dollars per year by some reports.  

The installation is made up of 40,000 solar panels that have a life span of 25 years. The system produces twice as much power (3 megawatts) than the next biggest solar installation on the roof of a stadium in Taiwan.

Why did the track decide to do this? Well, they’ll tout the environmental benefits obviously, but the real motivator (as it always is) was money. Electric rates in Pennsylvania, which are currently regulated by the state government, will be uncapped and rate increases of up to 40% may be seen.

As one operator of a large facility once told us, “Race tracks eat money. From the second you put the key in the door, it is consuming cash.” These solar panels will help to ease that cash burden and gets the facility and NASCAR some great positive PR. 

If Pocono is the first track to do this, which will be the next?

Source — MySanAntonio.com —  Pocono Solar Farm Powers NASCAR’s Green Plans