Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Denver news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Des Moines news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Minneapolis-St. Paul news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Tampa Bay news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Charlotte news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
An aerial view of Fenway Park. Photo: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox via Getty Images
Fenway Park, which is hosting the first game of the World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight, is the second-oldest baseball park in the U.S., behind only Chicago's Wrigley Field. But despite the age of the park, opened in 1912, Fenway ranks among the top 10 energy-efficient baseball stadiums in the U.S.
Why it matters: In 2008, Fenway became the first major league sports arena in the U.S. to install and use thermal solar panels, which replaced gas to heat the stadium's water. Combined with over 20 other initiatives, including LED retrofits, Fenway's efforts have resulted in a 12% reduction in total energy consumption since 2014.
The background: Major League Baseball (MLB) stadiums can use up to 30 million kilowatt hours in one season, enough to power over 3,000 U.S. homes in a year. The MLB actively encourages the clubs to commit to renewable practices, and was the first professional sports league to enroll all of its members in the Green Sports Alliance, an organization that promotes sustainability in sports.
What's new: Last year the Red Sox announced that they would offset 100% of Fenway’s electricity use for the next 2 years by purchasing renewable energy certificates (RECs).
How it works: For every 1 megawatt hour of stadium energy use, Fenway purchases one REC, which represents 1 megawatt hour of renewable energy, such as solar or wind, generated and sent to the power grid. According to the announcement on MLB, 2 years of Fenway's electricity use amounts to displacing the greenhouse gas emissions of over 4,749 vehicles driven for 2 years.
What to watch: Expect more MLB stadiums to follow suit in buying RECs to offset their electricity usage.
Maggie Teliska is a technical specialist at Caldwell Intellectual Property Law, an intellectual property law firm. She is also a member of GLG, a platform connecting businesses with industry experts.