FOXBOROUGH, Mass. and SAN JOSE, Calif.–The Kraft Group has added to its portfolio of clean energy solutions powering Gillette Stadium with the introduction of fuel cell technology from Bloom Energy (NYSE: BE).
Gillette Stadium is the region’s premier sports and entertainment venue and home to the New England Patriots and New England Revolution. The stadium attracts New England’s largest summer concerts, hosts an array of other sporting events, and operates with office and function space that is utilized year-round. Bloom Energy Servers provide the stadium with two megawatts of power, supplying nearly 50 percent of the 65,878-seat stadium’s energy needs.
The Energy Servers are composed of solid oxide fuel cells and generate electricity without combustion using a highly efficient, electrochemical process. The use of Bloom Energy Servers is expected to reduce nearly 1,500 metric tons of CO2 each year.
The Kraft Group has already implemented several other clean energy and energy efficiency measures, including 500 kilowatts of combined heat and power at Gillette Stadium and one megawatt of solar panels throughout Patriot Place.
“Professional sports teams have the ability to leverage their visibility and following to drive social impact in the communities that support them,” said Dan Middleton, SVP of Americas at Bloom Energy. “The Kraft Group is leading the charge for sustainability, minimizing its own environmental impact by utilizing all available technologies, and serving as a role model for other organizations to follow.”
“Good business and sustainability go hand in hand,” said Jim Nolan, COO of Gillette Stadium. “The addition of Bloom Energy Servers provides power that is not only clean but also reliable and always-on for stadium-goers and the community.”
The Bloom Energy Servers were installed in a microgrid-ready configuration, allowing the stadium to easily upgrade to a microgrid. A microgrid is a localized power grid that can disconnect from the traditional grid to operate autonomously. Bloom’s AlwaysON Microgrid solution provides enhanced resiliency in the face of grid outages and extreme weather events along with predictable energy costs. Planning for the future in this way aligns with the Kraft Group’s goal for Gillette Stadium to be the first stadium in the world to operate independently of the traditional electric grid.
Bloom Energy Servers also powers the Honda Center, SAP Center, and STAPLES Center sporting arenas.
About The Kraft Group
The Kraft Group, headquartered in Foxborough, Massachusetts, is the holding company for the Kraft family’s many businesses, with concentrated interests in the following areas: the distribution of forest products, paper and packaging manufacturing, sports and entertainment, real estate development, as well as private equity and venture investing. Together, the Rand-Whitney Group and International Forest Products conduct business in more than 100 countries and form one of the largest privately-owned paper, packaging, and distribution companies in the world, trading more than 4 million tons of pulp and paper grades annually. For more information, visit www.thekraftgroup.com.
About Bloom Energy
Bloom Energy’s mission is to make clean, reliable energy affordable for everyone in the world. The company’s product, the Bloom Energy Server, delivers highly reliable and resilient, always-on electric power that is clean, cost-effective, and ideal for microgrid applications. Bloom’s customers include many Fortune 100 companies and leaders in manufacturing, data centers, healthcare, retail, higher education, utilities, and other industries. For more information, visit www.bloomenergy.com
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