Featured image credit: Vitória Sport Clube
Vitória Sport Clube has said it will become one of the first Portuguese Primeira Liga football teams to embark on a major solar energy project, after agreeing a partnership with Sustainable Energy Systems (SES).
Under the scheme, two photovoltaic energy production plants will be installed at the club’s Estádio D. Afonso Henriques in Guimarães, along with its training complex. Some 1,900 photovoltaic panels will be introduced in total, with Vitória stating the venture will grant it an energy autonomy of around 45%.
The project will provide an environmental contribution in the form of avoiding the production of 654 tonnes of CO2 – the equivalent of planting 4,575 trees. Vitória also believes the plants will be able to supply clean electricity to 351 local households.
President of Vitória Sport Clube, António Miguel Cardoso, said: “It is an important partnership and Vitória has a great social and environmental responsibility. SES is a partner that has worked with us since the beginning and will continue into the future.
“There is a concern to optimise the electrical production, as well as consumption and, above all, to optimise and supply energy to the community at reduced costs. We are very happy, we know that we are innovative in this area and we want to be part of the community and Vitória with social responsibility.”
SES executive director, Paulo Silva, added: “These centres make it possible to install as many solar panels as possible for maximised energy production, from which Vitória will benefit, also reducing its own consumption and contributing to the decarbonisation of its global sustainability project.
“Surplus energy can be sold in the community, in this particular case within a radius of two kilometres. Any resident or commercial venue can benefit from sustainable and renewable energy produced by Vitória SC.
“Vitória SC will be one of the first sports clubs in the Primeira Liga to have a community of energy in its own stadium. This is the first project in a series of initiatives that SES will develop together with Vitória SC.”
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