In a drive to go solar for nearly half its energy needs, Infineon Raceway will install a solar-electric-power-generating system at the track and a solar-powered LED display board along Highway 37.
The announcement came today as the facility launched a comprehensive sustainability initiative in collaboration with Panasonic.
A total of 1,652 of Panasonic’s Sanyo solar panels will be installed at the raceway. The solar power produced by the new system will provide for 41 percent of the raceway’s overall energy usage.
The installation, which will be handled by REC Solar, begins in January, 2011, and should be complete by April.
Officials said the initiative will enhance the facility’s existing sustainable practices in its daily operations, and send a clear message to racing fans about the performance benefits of green transportation technologies.
“Infineon Raceway is uniquely positioned to take the message of sustainability to the horsepower-and-performance crowd who have not necessarily been the early adopters in this movement,” said Steve Page, president and general manager. “Our visibility in the performance automotive industry gives us a terrific platform to carry the message to a broader audience of racing enthusiasts.”
The raceway has featured a number of off-track sustainable initiatives, including comprehensive recycling and water conservation. It has been recognized by the State of California for its recycling efforts and received a green business award from Sonoma County.
The track has also hosted the first-ever electric motorcycle race on American soil. Page said the goal is to include low/no-carbon racing as support features at each of the track’s major events.
The raceway is also developing plans for a series of green performance summits, he said, that will establish the Sonoma facility as the hub for new low/no-carbon race technologies.
“The first step has been to put our own house in order,” Page said. “This solar alliance with Panasonic marks a significant new step in our efforts to operate this business in a sustainable fashion.”
The partnership calls for the installation of a solar-electric-power-generating system at the track with a capacity of more than 350 kilowatts,
Most of the solar arrays will be visible by the raceway patrons at major events and will serve as a continuing reminder about sustainability. Locations include: Turn 10 Sound Wall, Main Grandstand, Jim Russell Racing Drivers School Tech Center, Raceway Café and the track’s main offices.
The dual-sided, solar powered LED board created by Panasonic will replace the current board, which sits on Highway 37 outside the raceway. The new LED board will require far less power to operate, making it extremely energy-efficient.
In an agreement that runs through 2015, Panasonic will assume a charter sponsor role in the raceway’s new green performance program. The partnership “represents the future of both our businesses,” said Jim Doyle, president of Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company.
“We will continue to look for new ways to incorporate solar power and energy efficiency in future plans as we enter this long-term relationship,” he said.
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