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Solar Companies Team Up to Power Super Bowl Weekend

Solar Alternatives, a solar design and installation company based in New Orleans, and Stion, a solar manufacturer in Hattiesburg, are teaming up to install solar panels at New Orleans’ Kingswood Playground as part of the city’s Super Bowl festivities this week.

On the eve of Super Bowl XLVII, the Super Bowl Host Committee will hold its premier community initiative, Super Saturday of Service, in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity, the Young Leadership Council and other local organizations. Super Saturday of Service is predicted to result in $2 million of renovation and beautification, including a solar-powered canopy constructed by Solar Alternatives using Stion’s solar modules.

The canopy features a unique octagonal design that highlights Solar Alternatives’ design expertise and Stion’s all-black module aesthetics. The installation will be used to power lighting and other services, and will result in the state’s first net-zero public facility. The solar panels will provide 11 kilowatts of power, and reduce CO2 emissions in the area by more than 500,000 pounds over the next 25 years. Employees from both companies will participate in the Super Saturday volunteering efforts as well as subsequent efforts to raise awareness about solar power.

Stion’s solar modules are produced less than 100 miles away in a state-of-the-art factory in Hattiesburg, where the Company employs 120 local workers and has invested over $100 million. The company says the modules are the only solar products manufactured locally in the Gulf Coast region, and have the lowest energy payback time of any solar technology.

“We are pleased to work with the City of New Orleans, the NFL, and the Super Bowl Host Committee to make this big weekend cleaner using local renewable power,” said Jeffrey Cantin, President of Solar Alternatives. “We are excited to showcase Stion’s unique technology to the millions who will be watching worldwide.”

“There is no event more American than the Super Bowl, so we are proud to take part in this project as we help lead the resurgence of U.S. solar manufacturing,” said Frank Yang, VP of Business Development for Stion Corporation and Stion Solar Mississippi LLC. “This is a great opportunity to highlight our emphasis on community involvement.”

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