Solar for Saints! Powering Southampton FC’s Staplewood Training Campus with Solar Panels for Sports Clubs

Utilita Business has completed a major solar panel installation at Southampton Football Club’s Staplewood Training Campus, supporting the club’s long-term commitment to sustainable operations and responsible, renewable energy use.

The project was officially marked with a switch-on event, celebrating a key milestone in Utilita Business’s role as Southampton FC’s Official Sustainability Partner – demonstrating how solar panels for sports clubs and organisations can deliver meaningful environmental and commercial benefits.

A landmark solar panel installation at Staplewood Training Campus

More than 450 commercial solar panels have been installed across the Pavilion and Gym rooftops at Southampton FC’s Staplewood Training Campus. Designed to generate a significant proportion of the site’s electricity demand, the system will reduce reliance on grid power while delivering long-term carbon and cost savings.

The installation forms a crucial part of The Halo Effect, Southampton FC’s environmental strategy – supporting the club’s long-term ambition to operate more sustainably and reduce its environmental impact.

By investing in on-site renewable energy at Staplewood Training Campus, the club is future-proofing its facilities while showcasing how solar panels for sports clubs can perform effectively at scale.

Driving sustainable change in sport

The Switch-On Event brought together players, partners, community figures and project stakeholders, highlighting the collaborative effort behind the solar installation – including: 

• Tom Fellows and Jay Robinson – Men’s First Team players. 

• Harry Gathercole and Korban McMullan – U18 Academy players. 

• Councillor John Savage of Southampton City Council. 

• Key staff from Southampton FC and Utilita. 

The event opened with remarks from Greg Baker, Chief Revenue Officer at Southampton FC, and Bill Bullen, Chief Executive Officer at Utilita Energy, reinforcing the role professional sport can play in leading sustainability initiatives. Darren Pollard, Head of Estates at Southampton FC, also shared insight into the technical scope of the installation and the operational benefits it will deliver. 

Greg Baker, Chief Revenue Officer, Southampton FC, said: “This is a great moment for the club. What began as a sustainability commitment has now become a visible, working renewable energy solution that will benefit Southampton FC for years to come. This project shows how football can drive meaningful environmental change.” 

Bill Bullen, Chief Executive Officer, Utilita Energy, added: “This partnership demonstrates how organisations can turn ambition into action. Today’s switch-on is not just symbolic. It’s practical, measurable progress towards a cleaner energy future.”

Solar benefits for sports clubs

The installation at Staplewood highlights exactly why more organisations are investing in solar panels for sports clubs across the UK. On-site solar generation can help sports facilities and high-energy sites to: 

• Reduce electricity costs and exposure to energy price volatility. 

Sports clubs often operate large, energy intensive sites, from floodlights and heating to catering and maintenance facilities. Solar PV allows clubs to generate their own clean electricity on-site, lowering daytime consumption from the grid and providing long-term protection against rising and unpredictable energy prices.

• Cut carbon emissions and support net zero targets. 

Solar provides one of the most impactful ways for sports clubs to reduce their carbon footprint, with each kilowatt-hour generated helping to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Investing in renewable energy also positions clubs to meet future environmental standards as the UK moves toward net zero. 

• Improve energy resilience and operational efficiency. 

High energy sites are particularly vulnerable to grid constraints and supply issues. By generating electricity on-site, and optionally pairing solar with battery storage, sports clubs can improve resilience during peak demand periods. Solar also reduces strain on existing infrastructure and helps to smooth operational costs throughout the year. 

• Demonstrate a visible commitment to sustainability. 

Renewable energy installations for sports clubs are a highly visible way to showcase environmental responsibility to fans, players, partners, and sponsors. This can strengthen reputation, support funding bids, and align with broader net zero initiatives across the sports sector. 

Delivering commercial solar panel installations for sports clubs across the UK

At Utilita Business, we design and deliver tailored solar panel installations for sports clubs and commercial organisations. From system design through to installation and performance monitoring, our solar experts work closely with partners to ensure long-term value and return on investment.

The solar installation at Southampton FC’s Staplewood Training Campus is one of many projects we’ve delivered nationwide, helping organisations turn sustainability goals into action. 

Wondering what other solar projects we’ve delivered? Read more about our large-scale commercial solar installations and how we’re helping UK businesses reach their sustainability goals here: www.business.utilita.co.uk/solar/projects/ 

Watch the moment we switched on Southampton FC’s Staplewood Training Campus solar panels below…