Nottingham City Council has approved a major sustainability initiative by expanding the solar photovoltaic (PV) installations at the Harvey Hadden Sports Village as part of Phase 3 of the project.
This ambitious development, which comes with a budget of £400,000 aims to enhance energy efficiency at one of the city’s most prominent sports and leisure facilities.
The new solar PV installation is projected to add an additional 304.3 kWp system, expected to generate approximately 254,730 kWh of electricity in its first year.
This will result in a significant reduction of 20.84% in the energy imported from the grid.
The sports village, a key asset within Nottingham’s Active Nottingham network, reopened in 2015 after extensive refurbishment and has since remained a critical component of the community’s leisure offerings.
Strictly © westbridgfordwire.com
The Harvey Hadden Sports Village currently uses an average of 2,960 units of electricity daily, making it a high-energy consumer within the council’s portfolio.
The leisure facility accounts for 4.8% of Nottingham City Council’s entire energy consumption, importing around 1,080,566 kWh annually. To address this, the council plans to build on the success of the previous phases by further increasing the facility’s solar capacity, which currently includes a 67.2 kWp canopy-mounted system and a 200 kWp roof-mounted system.
The entire project is fully funded by Salix Finance, utilising the Salix Recycling Fund, which provides ring-fenced funding for low-carbon projects. Since its inception in 2009, the partnership between Salix Finance and Nottingham City Council has completed over 300 projects, achieving financial savings close to £4 million. Salix funding follows a unique model, wherein financial returns from energy savings are reinvested into new projects, creating a self-sustaining approach to energy efficiency.
This latest phase of the solar PV initiative has an estimated cost of £419,750, with a payback period of six years. Over a 30-year lifespan, the project is projected to generate savings of £3.66 million in electricity and an additional £315,907 in gas savings.
Loxley House
Furthermore, the environmental impact is notable, with an estimated annual reduction of 53.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions—aligning perfectly with Nottingham’s ambitious Carbon Neutral Action Plan.
The anticipated Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for this phase of the solar project stands at 24.6%, alongside a net present value (NPV) of £2,087,915.
However, the Harvey Hadden Sports Village solar expansion is not without challenges.
Issues such as pigeons nesting on the roof and concerns about potential anti-social behaviour have been factored into the planning process. The project budget includes measures to mitigate these risks, such as installing pigeon deterrents and enhancing security features around the facility to prevent unauthorised access.
Delays in installation are also being considered due to broader strategic discussions around the management model of the leisure services. There are plans to potentially outsource the management of some facilities, including the Harvey Hadden Sports Village. If the site moves to outsourced management, Nottingham City Council intends to include a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) option to ensure that the energy produced from the solar panels continues to benefit both the council and the contractor involved.
Consultation with various stakeholders, including property colleagues and the Divisional Leadership Team, suggested that while a delay might align with the broader leisure services strategy, it must not compromise the Salix funding timeline. Should delays put the funding at risk, the council will proceed with installation as originally planned to meet the required deadlines.
The benefits of the project extend beyond financial gains and emissions reductions. The installation of solar panels at the sports village underscores Nottingham’s commitment to renewable energy and environmental sustainability. It also serves to foster a sense of community engagement and environmental stewardship, encouraging other local entities and residents to adopt similar renewable energy initiatives.
Since the refurbishment in 2015, Harvey Hadden Sports Village has been a flagship leisure centre for Nottingham, offering a wide range of facilities to promote healthy living and physical activity. The solar installation project has an estimated operational life of 30 years.
• Tollerton: Controlled explosion carried out by army teams after WW2 hand grenade found in woodland