12/11/2006

Solar Power

Here is one from Saturday about Dow Diamond, the new home of the Great.Lakes.Loons, in Midland, Michigan.

Solar power

When the sun warms Dow Diamond and makes fans long for hot dogs and the words "play ball," the light from the sky will power the stadium's scoreboard.

Dow Corning Corp. and Hemlock Semiconductor Corp. have teamed up to donate 168 solar panels, located outside the right field fence and adjacent to the outfield parking lot, which are designed to generate enough energy to operate the stadium's scoreboard.

Representatives from both companies showed off the panels -- mounted 30 inches above the ground to be above the snow line -- to local media on Friday, which was cold but sunny. Hemlock Semiconductor makes the polycrystalline silicon that is the main component of the panels, and Dow Corning makes protective coatings for the panels.


Not enough? How is this for recycling and enviro-friendly design?
Crushed red brick from The Dow Chemical Co.'s 47 Building is being recycled and used to make the warning track, a strip around the playing field that is a tactile reminder to players that they're coming near a wall. Crushed concrete from the building will become gravel at the stadium. A requirement under state law, the stadium will have sensors that shut down the lights when people leave specific areas. There will even be waterless urinals in men's restrooms.

I hope those light sensors aren't in the visiting radio booth.

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