Solar energy plant to be built on Galatasaray stadium

By Ercan Cakar

ISTANBUL (AA) - Galatasaray sealed a deal with Turkish energy company Enerjisa on Tuesday that will install a solar energy power plant on the roof of its football stadium that will produce electricity for the venue.

Galatasaray President Mustafa Cengiz, club officials and Enerjisa CEO Murat Pinar attended the signing ceremony at Istanbul's Turk Telekom Stadium.

Cengiz said the project will make an important contribution to the club and thanked Enerjisa for its cooperation.

Galatasaray's deputy chair Yusuf Gunay emphasized the importance of local and renewable energy.

"The project will contribute to Galatasaray and the Turkish economy. The power plant will have an at least 100-million-Turkish lira ($13.1 million) contribution to Galatasaray during its 25-year-life," said Gunay.

He added that Enerjisa will produce and install the plant on a 40,000-square-meter (9.8 acres) area on the roof and will operate it for 10 years.

After that, Galatasaray will take control of the operation.

Pinar said the company is saving 200,000 trees as part of the project and the energy that will be produced at Galatasaray's home will be able to supply 2,000 houses.

He said that it is an investment for nature, Turkey's future and the country's future generations.

Pinar said that Enerjisa is planning to complete the project in 12 months.

Turkish football club Fraport TAV Antalyaspor's home, Antalya Stadium - opened in 2015 - has solar panels on its roof to produce electricity.

Meanwhile, famed European football stadiums such as Ajax Amsterdam's Johan Cruijff Arena and Borussia Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park have been using the renewable energy technology.