Case Study: Busch-Stadium

- Busch Stadium
- St. Louis, MO, USA
- 26kW
Enphase ® Commercial Solar­// Case Study // Microgrid Solar
Microinverters Work Hard for
America’s Pastime
Integrated
intelligence,
enhanced safety,
and design
flexibility with
microinverters
Baseball is a complex game. So, when the St. Louis Cardinals
decided to install a photovoltaic (PV) system at its home base,
Busch Stadium, it was only fitting that the project initially proved
to be a challenge. Since the new Busch Stadium opened in 2006,
the stadium operations team has been committed to reducing
the facility’s overall energy consumption—and maintains a formal
energy-efficiency program known as “4 A Greener Game.” Solar
power would become a key component.
Granular Monitoring Required
The Cardinals wanted a solar system that would provide detailed performance reporting,
which would allow them to underscore the benefits of renewable energy to their fans
and other stakeholders. Module-level monitoring was also a necessity for the stadium’s
operations staff, who would be responsible for the system’s long-term performance.
Enphase ® Commercial Solar­// Case Study // Microgrid Solar
Safety First
Additionally, safety was a major consideration. Busch Stadium,
with a seating capacity of nearly 48,000, hosts baseball games
as well as rock concerts and other events that attract large
audiences. The three solar arrays would be located in high-traffic
areas within close proximity to the public: on top of the stadium’s
ticketing building and on a concession area canopy in the left
centerfield bleachers at the Ford Family Plaza. This meant that a
PV system incorporating high-voltage DC would not be an option.
According to Microgrid Solar, Microinverter
Advantages Drive Preference
• System
design takes 25%–33%
of the time needed for a central or
string system
• 50% inventory time savings
• 5%–12% more energy harvest than estimated
• Warranty and monitoring cost savings
of $0.15–$0.25 per watt
Design Benefits for Installer and Customer
The Cardinals partnered with Microgrid Solar, who saw the
need for microinverters in this project. Having installed Enphase
Energy’s microinverter technology in more than 30 PV systems,
Microgrid was confident the performance monitoring and safety
benefits of Enphase would be perfect for Busch Stadium.
Additionally, the need for multiple arrays within the stadium, with
different azimuths and tilts, necessitated microinverters. Eightyeight 240W modules placed on the roof of the ticket building
have zero tilt. Eighteen 235W modules on top of the concession
stand canopy are tilted 10 degrees. In addition, there are four
modules positioned with 33-degree tilt on an awning over an
interpretive display—an educational kiosk that the Cardinals are
using to raise awareness about solar energy with baseball fans
and other event patrons.
Marc Lopata, president and principal engineer of Microgrid Solar,
LLC, says his team knew immediately that Enphase would be ideal
for the Busch Stadium solar installation. “We recommended that
Busch Stadium—Before securing modules
to the racking, workers install individual
microinverters, boosting the energy harvest of
the system while increasing safety. Images
courtesy of Microgrid Solar
the St. Louis Cardinals choose Enphase microinverters because
the technology would allow us to overcome core design challenges
and also provide multiple benefits to the facility over the long
term,” he says.
“Enphase is great for commercial installations,” says Lopata.
“Once a customer starts talking about the importance of safety,
deep visibility into the system, and performance monitoring,
we recommend that they incorporate Enphase microinverter
technology, no question.”
To learn more about the benefits of microinverters in complex
commercial systems, visit enphase.com/commercial.