Fans visiting the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field this season may notice a difference in the stadium’s lighting.
The Mariners have made their stadium lights more technologically advanced by replacing the 570 metal halide lights around Safeco Field with 578 GigaTera SUFA LED fixtures in January.
LED lights are directional, which means that they focus light in ways that are beneficial in homes and commercial settings, such as a baseball park.
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The LED lights are beneficial to both players and fans as they reduce glare and shadows on the field, making it easier for players to see.
The lights are also beneficial to those watching the game at home on HD television because they improve color as well as reduce TV flickering in slow motion replays.
These are just a few of the benefits that LED lights can bring to MLB stadiums. According to energy.gov, the 49 million LED’s installed in the United States in 2012 saved at least $675 million in annual energy costs
Studies have also shown that LED lighting can improve the performance of athletes by improving their energy levels and moods. These lights have the potential to improve the entire atmosphere of the ballpark.
LED lights have a much smaller environmental impact. They can reduce energy consumption between 60 and 70 percent, and they last for about 100,000 hours. Metal halide lights, which the Mariners were using previously, only lasted 3,000 hours.
The Mariners’ new lights will reduce energy costs for Safeco Field because they take much less time to turn on. LED lights turn on instantly, while metal halides take at least 30 minutes to fully light up.
According to energy.gov, “Switching entirely to LED lights over the next two decades could save the U.S. $250 billion in energy costs, reduce electricity consumption for lighting by nearly 50 percent, and avoid 1,800 million metric tons of carbon emissions.
If other Major League Baseball teams follow in Seattle’s footsteps, the MLB could take a significant step in the direction of reducing energy costs in ballparks across the country.