Exelon's Constellation sees opportunities with PGA and golf
Golf and energy are two concepts not often associated with each other, except during lightning storms. But Constellation believes the sport represents a growing opportunity for its energy services business.
Golf and energy are two concepts not often associated with each other, except during lightning storms. But Constellation believes the sport represents a growing opportunity for its energy services business.
The Exelon Corp. subsidiary announced Thursday a long-term agreement with the Professional Golfers' Association of America as its "official energy provider and sustainability partner."
The agreement provides for the Baltimore-based company to supply electrical power to several tour events, including the annual PGA Championship. It will also recommend sustainability strategies and energy-management programs for the tournaments, starting with the Ryder Cup, which will begin Sept. 27 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota.
The agreement extends Constellation's involvement in the sport. It sponsored the Constellation Senior Players Championship at Philadelphia Cricket Club in June, one of five major senior tournaments. Constellation is also the official energy provider of the National Hockey League.
The golf agreement represents a marketing opportunity to reach business leaders, and also an inroad into the thousands of PGA member courses.
"The average 18-hole facility spends more than $54,000 annually on electricity, and could expect to see a cost savings of anywhere from 20 to 30 percent, on average, through the energy-efficiency programs we'll be working to implement," said Christina Pratt, a Constellation spokeswoman.
Water-management accounts for about a quarter of a golf course's energy costs, and the use of more efficient pumps during off-peak hours to irrigate vegetation or to aerate water in impoundments can reduce costs, Pratt said.
Other opportunities for savings are indoor and outdoor lighting, heating and ventilation systems, and electric golf-cart chargers, which can be timed to take advantage of off-peak pricing or solar panels.
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