Red Tykes go green

CHAMPIONSHIP football club Barnsley is set to become the first professional outfit in the country to be powered by solar energy.

Work will start next month installing photovoltaic panels on the roofs of two stands and the external wall of the south stand at its Oakwell ground – enough to provide energy for about 140 homes.

The electricity generated will be used within the ground, with any excess being fed back into the National Grid.

The club believes the move, which will initially cost it around £1m, will save it tens of thousands of pounds and cut its annual electricity bills by half.

Barnsley FC’s general manager Don Rowing said: “With energy costs spiraling and likely to continue that way it makes business sense to use the large amount of roof surface available to us to save the club money and also to reduce our carbon footprint.

“The icing on the cake is that the work is being done by a Barnsley company and that will help the local economy. This just shows what a green place Barnsley is and even though we are the Reds we can go green.”

Dodworth-based Solar Europa is set to start work on the project in May, with completion due in June.

The cost of the installation will be met by the company, which will recoup any money made selling electricity back to the National Grid via the Feed In Tariff.

David Hawkins, of Solar Europa, said: “I just hope that by doing this we can inspire other football clubs and other businesses to take advantage of the roofs they have. It could be a warehouse or office block roof – it doesn’t matter – it all helps cut bills and cut carbon dioxide emissions.”

Solar Europa, which manufactures its own solar panels, as well as installing them, receives business support from the Enterprising Barnsley programme.