RheinEnergieStadion, home of German 2. Bundesliga team FC Köln, is set to be fitted with a new photovoltaic system to generate year-round electricity, while Coventry Building Society Arena in England has announced a sustainability partnership with E.ON.
The new PV system at RheinEnergieStadion will ensure that the venue can self-generate the electricity it needs to host football matches and other events.
The owner of the stadium, Kölner Sportstätten, estimates that the system will save over 370 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. Kölner Sportstätten is working with stadium sponsor RheinEnergie, which is based in the city, on the project.
Construction work will begin on the roof of the stadium next month. The sheet-metal roofs above the east, south and west stands will be covered with around 2,700 solar modules. The north roof cannot be used for technical reasons.
It is hoped the system will be operational by the autumn or winter of 2025. It would be able to achieve a peak output of 1,200 kWp.
Lutz Wingerath, managing director of Kölner Sportstätten, said: “At Kölner Sportstätten, we see it as our duty to use more environmentally friendly alternatives in all areas whenever possible. Together with RheinEnergie, we can now also generate electricity from renewable energies. The roof area of our stadium is predestined for this, and thanks to technical developments in recent years, the project can now also be implemented. We are delighted with this perfect solution.”
The stadium has been supplied with exclusively green electricity since 2018. In October 2016, the old neon tubes at the stadium were replaced with energy-saving LED lights
RheinEnergie has a capacity of just under 50,000. The venue was used during the 2006 FIFA World Cup and last year’s UEFA Euro 2024, where it hosted four matches.
Meanwhile, Coventry Building Society Arena, home of Championship club Coventry City, has teamed up with E.ON to drive the stadium’s continued decarbonisation.
The stadium will work with Coventry-headquartered E.ON to develop, enhance and deliver its venue-wide sustainability action plan. The first phase of the partnership will map out options for low-carbon and carbon reduction solutions, including the potential installation of solar panels on the roof and accessible electric vehicle charging stations.
Within later phases of improvements, the stadium’s existing heating and cooling system may also be upgraded, removing the need for gas.
E.ON has an existing strategic energy partnership with Coventry City Council, which commits the organisations to collaborate and transform the city’s approach to carbon reduction.
