Michigan International Speedway officials announced today that the racetrack is using green power as part of a partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Consumers Energy.
The track uses nearly five million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, enough green power to meet 100 percent of the organization’s electricity use.
MIS is the first facility in all of motorsports and one of the first sporting venues in the country to join the EPA’s Green Power Partnership and offset its energy use from green power.
Michigan International Speedway participates in Consumers Energy’s Green Generation Program. This demonstrates a proactive choice to support cleaner renewable energy alternatives.
“This is a huge honor and we are proud to be recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,” Michigan International Speedway President Roger Curtis said. “Using green power helps our organization become more sustainable, while also sending a message to others across the U.S. that supporting clean sources of electricity is a sound business decision and an important choice in reducing climate risk.”
MIS is the first motorsports facility to have 100 percent of its electricity use generated by the Green Power Partnership annually. NASCAR’s fastest track joins the Philadelphia Phillies (Major League Baseball), Philadelphia Eagles (National Football League) and the National Hockey League as only the fourth sports team, league or facility in the Green Power Partnership to be using renewable energy.
Renewable energy or green power is electricity that is generated from environmentally preferable renewable resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, eligible biogas, biomass, and low-impact hydro. Under Consumers’ Green Generation Program, 78% of the energy is supplied by wind and 22% is supplied by landfill gas. Using green power helps accelerate the development of new renewable energy capacity nationwide and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector.
“EPA’s Green Power Partnership is excited to welcome Michigan International Speedway as the first NASCAR track to join the Partnership and applauds the speedway for using 100 percent renewable energy,” Green Power Partnership Program Manager Mollie Lemon said. “Complementing the racetrack’s other sustainability initiatives, their green power commitment helps to reduce the speedway’s carbon footprint and provides an excellent example for other sports organizations.”
MIS and Consumers Energy are working together to improve the environment through the track and its campground. The two organizations will work together to develop wind, solar and renewable energy at the track as well as identify ways to cut energy usage for the speedway. In addition, MIS and Consumers will plant more than 3,000 trees in Michigan for the two race weekends.
“We’re happy for Michigan’s leading racetrack and are proud to be powering their commitment to green energy,” Consumers Energy Vice President of Customer Experience, Rates and Regulation Patti Poppe said. “MIS is a leader in our Green Generation program, and they are showing the way for other businesses we serve to sustain both Michigan’s economy and environment.”
According to the U.S. EPA, Michigan International Speedway’sgreen power use of nearly five million kWh is equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of nearly 700 passenger vehicles per year, or the CO2 emissions from the electricity use of nearly 500 average American homes annually.
At a glance: MIS environmental efforts
Given its location in the lush Irish Hills area and with over 1,400 acres of property, Michigan International Speedway is at the front of green initiatives, implementing such programs as:
· Broad-based Recycling – through partnerships with Coca-Cola, Schupan and others at the track, MIS has collected more than 273,834 pounds of plastic bottles, aluminum, glass, cardboard and paper at the track since May 2008. In addition, MIS recycled 113,560 pounds of construction material in 2013. MIS has used recycled asphalt and concrete to create over 10 miles of road in campgrounds, parking lots and tram routes since 2008.
· Pace Car – A Ford Fusion Energi Hybrid paced the fields for the Quicken Loans 400 and Pure Michigan 400 in 2013. That car, through a promotion between Pure Michigan, Quicken Loans and Ford, was given away to a fan.
· Government Partnerships – MIS is the first professional sports venue in the state to join the Michigan Business Pollution Prevention Partnership (MBP3) and Retired Engineers Technical Assistance Program (RETAP). These self-administered, private programs (with overview from the state) are designed to reduce pollution, lower energy usage and reduce costs.
· School Partnerships – MIS has partnered with Adrian College to observe and analyze its 200 acres of wetlands around track property to inventory plant, animal and insect species in designated areas, as well as conducting water studies and identifying invasive plant species.
· Educational Partnerships – MIS also partnered with Adrian College to conduct an educational program called Track and Explore to teach children about the animals, plantlife and wetlands that call MIS home.
· Alternative Power – MIS is researching alternative power sources such as wind and solar to operate its facility. The speedway’s suite/media center opening is solar-powered.
· Wetlands conservation – MIS maintains approximately 200 acres of protected wetlands in and around the facility.
· “Green Escape – National Park” – MIS is pursuing open-space programs to make the property available to the community as walking/biking trails and athletic fields. Two soccer fields have been built for use by local school children.
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