Bringing sustainability & support to local wellbeing
Our client’s community training ground in Portsmouth is home to men’s, women’s, youth, and even amputee football teams. Our client knew it more than just a sports facility, as it’s a place where people of all ages and abilities come together, stay active, and feel part of something. But with rising energy bills, the club needed a way to cut costs and keep its facilities open and affordable for everyone.
To help them do that, we installed a 152.72 kW solar PV system across three of their roofs. This system now powers everything from clubhouse lighting to floodlights, helping the club save money, reduce carbon emissions, and continue supporting the local community.
Why this matters
Charity-run sports clubs like this one are vital for the health and wellbeing of local residents. They provide safe, inclusive spaces where people can build confidence, stay fit, and connect with others. In areas like Portsmouth, where the cost of living is rising and many people are struggling, this club offers a sense of belonging and support. It’s not only football that this sports club provides to the community; the building hosts a classroom, regular exercise classes, and the charity’s offices.
But keeping these facilities running is expensive. Electricity for lighting, heating, and general operations is a big part of that. By switching to solar, the club can now reduce its energy bills and use the savings to invest in coaching, youth teams, and community programmes.
The challenge
The club was facing:
- Rising electricity bills that were taking funds away from the pitch
- A need to future-proof their facilities against energy price increases
- A commitment to sustainability that wasn’t yet backed by on-site generation
They wanted a renewable energy system that could power their busy site while making a real difference to their running costs and carbon footprint.
Our Solution
We designed and installed a 152.72 kW solar PV system, split across three south-facing roofs on the sports and social club building. The system was built to generate clean electricity during the day when the clubhouse is in use and contribute to evening demand, including pitch floodlighting.
To minimise disruption, installation was carefully timed around team training schedules and match days. Given Portsmouth’s coastal location, we also used weather-resistant fixings and materials that stand up to wind, rain, and salt exposure.
The impact
The new solar system is now generating an estimated 130,000 kwh of electricity per year, covering most of the site’s electricity use and saving around 35 tonnes of co₂ annually. The club is already seeing lower energy bills, with an estimated saving of over £10,000 per year.
This means more of the club’s funding can go back into what matters to the community; coaching, equipment, and growing the inclusive programmes they run for young players, women’s football, and the amputee team.
The CEO of the charity had this to say: “Sustainability is becoming more and more important to the charity in everything that we do. We are starting here as we mean to go on, to really make a difference.”
A lasting benefit for the community
This project shows how local sports clubs can take control of their energy use and make a positive impact at the same time. As energy prices continue to rise, solar gives clubs like this one a more secure future.
It also sets an example for others in the region, proving that you don’t need to be a Premier League club to benefit from renewable energy. Although, we have also installed solar for a Premier League club, take a look at the case study.
If you are running a sports club of any kind and you are considering cost saving options, contact us for a desktop survey today to find out how much you could save.
