As Taiwan prepares to host the 2009 World Games in July, the Main Stadium in Kaohsiung has a unique feature that will provide for the area long after the games have finished. The roof has 14,155 square meters of solar panels that will provide enough electricity to keep the stadium lit and power the two jumbotron screens.
The 50,000 seat stadium was designed by well-known Japanese architect Toyo Ito and is the shape of a dragon from above and the side. It has 8,844 solar panels to illuminate the track and field and spectator areas and power the public address system. There are 3,300 lights and the two jumbo vision screens, all of which will be solar powered.
When not being used for athletic and other events, the solar panels will channel electricity into the local grid. The stadium will provide approximately 1.14 million KWh of electricity per year. Not only will that provide a substantial amount of the necessary power for the surrounding area, it will prevent the release of 660 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually.
