Harvey Hadden Sports Village in Nottingham is now believed to be Britain’s largest solar-powered leisure centre.
Since 2015, the site has evolved through three solar installations: a 67.2 kWp carport, a 200 kWp rooftop array in 2018 and now a 307.58 kWp system comprising 676 bifacial panels.
The system generates 500,000 kWh annually—enough to power 120 homes—and is expected to cut CO₂ emissions by more than 105 tonnes each year.
The latest phase alone will save around £3.66 million in electricity costs and £315,000 in gas over 30 years.
Cllr Sam Lux, Executive Member for Carbon Reduction, said: “Harvey Hadden Sports Village is one of the most energy-intensive buildings that we own, so it has been at the forefront of our efforts to decarbonise.”
The system powers 46% of the centre’s electricity and includes an innovative electric pool heater powered by surplus solar energy, avoiding the need for battery storage.
This milestone advances Nottingham City Council’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2028 and demonstrates the city’s leadership in sustainable public infrastructure.
The project was delivered with support from Salix Finance and involved a £449,000 investment.
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