Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder is a shrewd businessman. But sometimes it takes his family to help his business.

Three kids to be exact.

"My kids have always been telling me we should 'Go Green.' They want us to buy a hybrid. They always talk about paper or plastic," said Snyder, who bought the Redskins in 1999. "So I talked to my top executives at the Redskins and asked about ways we can do more for the environment."

On Thursday, the reality came when the Redskins and NRG Energy announced that FedEx Field will be the largest solar installation in the NFL. This innovative solar power system can produce enough power to meet 20 percent of the stadium's power needs on game days and all of its power on non-game days.

"This is quite spectacular, and my kids are really proud of us for doing this," said Snyder, 46, who was born in Maryland and has lived most of his life in the D.C. area. "I grew up in a different era, and we didn't think about the environment as much. Today, it's the right thing for all of us to do."

The project marks the largest solar installation both in the Washington, D.C., area. The 8,285-panel installation covers portions of the stadium as well as a new parking garage, which also hosts charging stations for electric vehicles. The electricity produced by the NRG solar power system each year is enough to meet the power needs of about 300 homes in the metro D.C. area.

"So that means on Sunday when we play -- and hopefully beat the Arizona Cardinals -- you can charge your car up while watching the game," Snyder said. "I'm hoping other NFL owners jump on the bandwagon. Long term, this is the right thing to do for our country."