The Philadelphia Phillies have gone to bat as the first Major League Baseball team relying on renewable energy for 100% of the electricity needed to run its stadium. Citizens Bank Park will now rely on Green-e Energy — the leading certifier of renewable energy — to provide the stadium with 2 million megawatt hours.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Phillies’ purchase marks the largest renewable energy purchase to date in U.S. professional sports. The team is racking up plenty of firsts to go with their baseball records. The team is also among the three largest purchasers of renewable energy in the city of Philadelphia and in the top seven in the state of Pennsylvania. The initiative is being supported by the Pennsylvania state government, as well as the Philadelphia municipal government — both the governor and the mayor were present for the initial announcement.

The team is in the process of reducing the overall environmental impact of the stadium in other ways:

• Plastics and serviceware used in the stadium must be biodegradable or recyclable.
• Frying oil from stadium concessions is recycled to produce bio-diesel fuel.
• Glass, cardboard and plastics used during games are recycled.
• The team wears green caps for some games to increase fans’ environmental awareness.
• Rain run-off water is used for landscaping.
• Full-time Phillies employees (including coaches and players) receive a one-year credit for using renewable energy at home.
• Lighting is being converted to LEDs.

Phillies president David Montgomery refused to put a price tag on the team’s environmental efforts for an article on MLB.com, but did say the following:

"It is a significant number, but we don't exactly know what it is. We're not sure how much it's going to run. When you're in, you're in. We decided it's the right approach to take. We're excited to join MLB in bringing the awareness to fans about the environment and how to be more conscious about it.”

Major League Baseball has made an overall commitment to encourage teams to go green and have offered support and coordination through their Team Greening Program. As other teams follow up on the Phillies’ lead, commenters may run out of baseball metaphors — the EPA’s administrator, Stephen Johnson has already used a few: "EPA applauds the Philadelphia Phillies for 'playing ball' and protecting our environment by purchasing green power. By being the first major league baseball team to join the Green Power Partnership, the Phillies have hit a grand slam for the environment."

Photo — WallyG