Featured image credit: Populous
Work has commenced on the installation of 6,500 square metres of solar membrane panels at London Stadium, home of Premier League club West Ham United.
Work on the roof design of the stadium to incorporate the new panels has been undertaken by Populous, which was responsible for both the original stadium design in 2012 and its redevelopment in 2016.
The plans are being led by the stadium’s owners, London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC). The Greater London Authority approved a multi-million-pound loan for the project in July 2023.
The £4.35m (€5.2m/$5.7m) project has now been given the green light and will enable London Stadium to save more than 200 tonnes of carbon emissions a year, as well as generate enough power for all of the venue’s major events.
The project is part of a range of measures to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions at the stadium. These include LED lighting, chiller and air handling improvements, and kiosk energy-saving devices.
The measures will reduce stadium energy use by 1.9 million kWh by March 2025, and at that point the roof solar savings will drive a further reduction of at least 0.8 million kWh, and a further saving of between 10 and 15% on electricity costs.
Ameresco, an energy service business specialising in cleantech and renewable energy infrastructure, has won the contract to install, operate and maintain the solar membrane panels.
The funding will come from the Mayor of London’s Green Finance Fund. The installation will be completed by next summer.
Mete Coban, London’s Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, said: “These solar panels are a game changer for the London Stadium, turning it into one of the world’s greenest sports and concert venues and hugely reducing its energy use and running costs.
“The Mayor’s Green Finance Fund offers exciting opportunities to help public sector bodies lower their carbon footprint and become more sustainable, and I encourage organisations to get involved as the next round of funding opens and we continue to build a greener, fairer London for everyone.”
Mark Apsey, managing director of UK operations at Ameresco, added: “Contributing to London Stadium’s legacy and revolutionising its energy infrastructure with state-of-the-art solar technology is an immense honour. The cutting-edge thin film PV solution will generate significant clean energy annually and contribute to a greener future for this iconic venue.”
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