'Green' Agreement Signed with PPL EnergyPlus
The team announced today an innovative clean-energy agreement with PPL EnergyPlus, the team's exclusive energy supplier, under which electricity used at the team's home stadium, Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, will be offset by renewable energy credits.
"In a state-of-the-art facility as large as Coca-Cola Park that gets year-round use, energy is a major consideration," said Kurt Landes, general manager of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. "We understand the financial and environmental costs of not using energy wisely. We turned to the expertise of another Lehigh Valley business leader - PPL EnergyPlus - for affordable, efficient and clean energy."
PPL EnergyPlus, which already supplies the electricity and natural gas used by the IronPigs, will purchase and retire renewable energy credits equivalent to 100 percent of the electricity used at Coca-Cola Park. The credits will be purchased from a variety of renewable energy projects in Pennsylvania owned and managed by PPL EnergyPlus.
"Our strength is in working with businesses and organizations to understand what they need and what they want," said Gene Alessandrini, senior vice president-Marketing for PPL EnergyPlus. "That enables us to go beyond simply supplying the electricity and natural gas. We can tailor a variety of products and services related to energy that make our customers more successful."
"We are proud to say that the IronPigs are powered by 'green' energy through our partnership with PPL EnergyPlus," Landes said. "It is a model for other professional sports franchises and businesses that are interested in supporting the growth of renewable energy."
In recognition of the agreement, Thursday night's IronPigs game at Coca-Cola Park has been designated Renewable Energy Night. The first 3,000 fans 18 or older who enter the stadium will receive a reusable shopping bag courtesy of PPL EnergyPlus. During the game, the IronPigs will wear special green jerseys.
PPL EnergyPlus is the competitive wholesale and retail energy supply business of PPL Corporation, and is not the same company as PPL Electric Utilities.
PPL EnergyPlus has been chosen as the energy supplier by many manufacturers, businesses, hospitals, universities and municipalities across Pennsylvania in the state's competitive energy market. For information, visit www.pplenergyplus.com.
PPL EnergyPlus LLC is an unregulated subsidiary of PPL Corporation. PPL EnergyPlus is not the same company as PPL Electric Utilities. The prices of PPL EnergyPlus are not regulated by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. You do not have to buy PPL EnergyPlus electricity or other products in order to receive the same quality regulated services from PPL Electric Utilities.
Named Ballpark Digest's "Ballpark of the Year" in 2008, Coca-Cola Park continues to be received with an unmatched level of excitement and fanfare in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding regions. In 2010, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs led all of Minor League Baseball in average nightly attendance and have drawn over 600,000 fans per season since debuting. The IronPigs are dedicated to providing family-friendly entertainment and are the only Minor League team to offer bubbles to fans entering the AT&T Plaza and balloons for all children exiting Coca-Cola Park.