National Football League, NRG to debut Washington's 'Solar Bowl'

They’re calling this coming Sunday’s game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Washington Redskins the “Solar Bowl” … and it’s got nothing to do with Arizona’s reputation for hot, sunny weather.

Instead, the name refers to the 8,000-odd solar panels that will make their debut at FedExField, home to the National Football League’s Redskins team. Installed by NRG Energy, the photovoltaic system is the largest solar power installation in the Washington, DC, area.

The system is expected to generate enough electricity to meet around 20 percent of the stadium’s energy needs on game days. And on days when games aren’t played, the panels should produce all the electricity the stadium needs. Three different types of solar panels installed either in the stadium or the parking lot will together have a generation capacity of up to two megawatts.

The installation will also feature an NRG-branded entry plaza showcasing clean-energy technologies and 10 electric vehicle charging stations from NRG’s eVgosm charging network.