ABB has been the inverter supplier of choice for a joint project with Enertiva Energia Alternativa. The project is unique for Central America: for the first time, a solar installation on the roof of a football stadium – and not just any football stadium, but the iconic Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto, locally called “La Catedral (the Cathedral) of Costa Rican football”, home of the La Liga Deportiva Alajuelense football club.
The system is expected to generate nearly 400,000 kWh annually, which La Liga Deportiva Alajuelense estimates will result in annual electricity savings of approximately 148,000 US-dollars. Enertiva has used a total of 22 ABB’s flagship TRIO inverters in ranges from 5.8 kW to 20 kW.
“We are extremely honored to have been part of such a prestigious project in Costa Rica. This is very special for us,” said Paolo Casini, Vice President Marketing Product Group Solar of ABB’s Power Conversion business unit. “ABB inverters have been selected for their combination of excellent quality and performance in Costa Rica’s high temperatures. We are very pleased that ABB inverters are a part of such an iconic football structure as “La Catedral”.
The solar installation was completed in less than three months and is fully operational today. The project team did encounter some interesting challenges, one of which was that the stadium roof had to be reinforced before the solar panels could be installed. The 260 kilowatt (kW) rooftop system meets one hundred percent of the stadium’s electricity needs, both in normal daily operations and during the peak demand of game day.
“We decided to work with ABB and its Power Conversion business since they have the breadth of product portfolio that we required for this project. In addition, ABB, with its worldwide reach, has its own office in Costa Rica, so we received the perfect combination of great products and in-depth expertise and service, all from a top tier, and highly bankable provider,” said Alejandro Brenes, CEO of Enertiva Costa Rica. “With the solar installation, La Liga Deportiva Alajuelense showcases their commitment to the environment in general and in particular for electricity generation from sustainable solar energy in particular. Examples like this can reach the sports fans as well and generate more awareness for these solutions.”
ABB power and automation solutions are found in many iconic sports stadiums around the world, from Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanã Stadium – home of the 2014 World Cup final, to Singapore’s National Stadium, where ABB technologies drive the retractable roof on the world’s largest free-spanning dome.
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