Sept. 8, 2008 - The NBA's Suns franchise has partnered with the city of Phoenix to install 18,000 square feet of solar panels atop the garage at the US Airways Center, the team's home arena.

Arizona utility APS will construct the solar array, which is expected to be completed in 2009.

The system will use 1,125 solar panels to produce more than 330,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each year - enough to power 26 Suns home games each season, according to team general manager Steve Kerr.

The city of Phoenix, which owns the arena, is pointing to the project as a key plank in its overall sustainability program.

"Our goal for Phoenix is to become the first sustainable city of the 21st Century," Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon said in a statement. "The US Airways Center solar project joins other large installations, such as the one at the Phoenix Convention Center, in reducing the city’s carbon footprint."

A raft of professional sports teams and venues have made headlines for their green initiatives in recent months. Elsewhere in the NBA, the New Jersey Nets have announced plans to become the first carbon-neutral team in the league. In March, Colorado's Pepsi Center became the first U.S. sports arena to buy enough renewable energy to offset 100% of its electricity use, while the Washington Nationals scored the first LEED-certified ballpark.