Bright Future for Indy Solar

Words like "renewable," "sustainable,"  and "clean" have a way of jumping out at me when other words blend into the background.  As I stared blankly in front of me in the first turn of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway while waiting for Carb Day to start, the video screen in the infield scrolled through the usual list of products and businesses that sponsor the Speedway.  Most of them went unnoticed by me and I'm sure those who surrounded me, but as soon as I saw the words "Official Renewable Energy Provider," I started paying attention.  This company was called Blue Renewable Energy, and along with IPL and SunWize Technologies, Inc., it recently opened a solar farm at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Photo credit to bohlsengroup.com

As we all know, Yankee Stadium, Churchill Downs, the Colosseum in Rome, and other landmarks can all fit inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  It makes sense, then, that this new IMS solar farm is larger than any other at a sports venue.  Located just outside the back stretch, the IMS solar farm covers 68 acres and can produce 9 megawatts of electricity.  Read more

I know what the next question is:  so what?  Wondering how the general population would answer that question, I took a look at the Facebook comments on the Speedway's article about this new solar installation. I was equal parts shocked and elated at the overall positive reaction to the news.  Of course, there was plenty of negativity to go around--some opponents claimed solar power "doesn't work," while others questioned why money would be spent on something Speedway goers didn't care a thing about.

But on the whole, IMS patrons do seem to care--and they like it.  I support this solar project wholeheartedly because the environment is my personal focus.  But the common theme in the positive comments was a bit different from that.  Many expressed the belief that this relatively new source of energy is interesting, and this kind of innovation belongs at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  IMS president J. Douglas Boles saw the connection between embracing solar energy and the original purpose of the Speedway as a testing ground for the automobile.  “Today," Boles said at the solar farm's ribbon cutting ceremony, "IMS is honored to be part of a partnership with IPL, SunWize and Blue Renewable Energy where innovation and technology are coming together to bring diversification of generation resources to this community."  Innovation has always drawn people to racing and continues to do so today.  Why wouldn't we enjoy witnessing progress in energy production as well?    

 Now, for those who say solar power doesn't work or isn't worth it, I'll say this:  solar power isn't perfect.  But coal and oil are far less perfect.  Both pollute our air and water and both will be depleted sooner than we think.  When the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was built, the automobile was new and had a much longer list of flaws than it does now; the Speedway helped us get where we are today in that industry.  There's no reason IMS shouldn't continue that tradition with renewable energy sources.  As Ernest Hemingway said, "The shortest answer is doing the thing."  The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been "doing the thing" for over a hundred years, and with this new solar farm, continues to lead progress in other areas of society as well.