EvoEnergy helps sport club ‘go green’ after installation of new solar PV system

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 3 June 2016

UPDATED: 3 June 2016

Solar developer EvoEnergy has helped basketball club Nottingham Wildcats save thousands on its energy bills each year - enabling the team to put more money into local grassroots sports.

Realising it could be making more of its roof space, the club contacted EvoEnergy to install a 486-panel array at Nottingham Wildcats Arena, made up of Trina 275w panels. It is expected to generate 109,192 kWh per annum; saving the club around a third - or £2,000 to £3,000 per year - on its energy costs.

The savings will be redirected into grassroot basketball initiatives within the local community, including training programmes in local primary schools feeding into Nottingham Academy, who Wildcats have a strong relationship with. 

James Clifford, national account manager at EvoEnergy, said:

“Participation in this project adds to our growing portfolio of local installs which have supported ventures that enable the benefits of solar PV use, reduced bills and carbon emissions, without the upfront cost for the organisation.

“In this case, it’s good to know that the money saved on energy bills will be redirected to support sports participation amongst school children.”

The 133.65 kWp system - completed by a three man team in a week and a half - was installed as part of a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) project funded by Free Green Energy Corporation. With a PPA, there are no upfront or maintenance costs; the only thing the customer pays for is generated electricity that is sold back to them at a price cheaper than their existing supplier.

Chairman of Nottingham Wildcats, Chris Prior, said: “Our decision to ‘go green’ was based on our realisation that we could be using the arena’s large roof space to save money on our energy bills, just as other sports arenas had done.

“EvoEnergy advised us that by rethinking our energy generation and usage habits we would be able to save around a third on our annual energy bill and this will allow us to further our charitable objectives of taking basketball our into the local community.

“As a not-for-profit organisation, we would have been unable to finance the installation of solar PV panels ourselves and so the PPA project organised by Free Green Energy has provided the perfect solution: we can balance paying for the technology with investing in the local community.

“Now I wish we’d opted for renewable energy generation years ago! The installation process was hassle free and a three man team from EvoEnergy installed the panels in less two weeks.

“Going green’ is allowing us to improve the lifestyle of the local community, as well as protecting the environment - it’s a real win-win!”

Gordon Wylie, director of Free Green Energy Corporation, added:

“By working with our installer partner EvoEnergy, we are very pleased that we have been able to help Nottingham Wildcats Arena to reduce both its annual electricity cost and its carbon footprint without incurring any upfront or ongoing expenditure. The successful completion of this project will benefit the local community by helping Nottingham Wildcats to save money on its operating expenses and to invest the saving in its main role as a sports club. The PV installation on the unused roof of the arena demonstrates the tremendous potential provided by the UK’s rooftops to harness the power of the sun without affecting the primary uses of the buildings.”

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