Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres since 2004, is more than just a baseball stadium. In downtown San Diego, this 42,000-seat stadium spans over 800,000 square feet and hosts MLB games, concerts, festivals, and other major events, making it a cornerstone of the city’s infrastructure.
To boost operational efficiency and support the City of San Diego’s 2035 carbon neutrality goal, Petco Park commissioned a new chiller plant. The primary objective was to reduce energy consumption by producing chilled water on site, minimizing the dependence on costly third-party utilities. The system includes a new 1,350-ton cooling plant with integrated thermal storage. This innovative system stores ice produced during off-peak hours to cool the stadium during peak demand, reducing grid strain and lowering energy costs while also adding resiliency.
The integration of a new chiller plant at Petco Park has led to substantial improvements in both sustainability and operational efficiency. Thanks to advanced ice storage technology, the stadium now cools more efficiently during peak times, cutting energy costs by $1.1 million each year. This approach not only supports San Diego’s carbon neutrality goals but also reduces the stadium’s impact on the local power grid. Additionally, the project benefited from a $2.8 million tax credit, further highlighting its economic and environmental value.
Installation of new chiller plant
Peak load management
Additional cooling technologies
Thermal energy storage
Controls system integration & optimization
