Bantams Go Green With Solar Panels

Well known for their bold claret and amber colour scheme, Bradford City AFC have opted to go green – by installing solar panels at the University of Bradford Stadium.

The project, completed in collaboration with the club’s sustainability partner, Watt Utilities, underscores the club’s long-term commitment to eco-friendly initiatives.

The new solar panels have been installed on the rooves of both The Bradford Lifts Stand and The TL Dallas Stand. This development will allow Valley Parade to harness solar energy, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.

In a statement on Bradford City’s website, Leanne Hunter, operations director at Watt Utilities, expressed her enthusiasm for the project:

“As energy consultants, we feel it is important to make prudent investments in a more environmentally friendly future that will benefit the club, the environment, and the local community. We are very grateful to everyone who helped make this initiative happen. We anticipate that it will serve as an example for other clubs and spur other initiatives in Bradford and the surrounding Yorkshire region.”

Hunter highlighted the substantial impact of the project, noting that a significant portion of the stadium’s power will now come from solar panels. She also mentioned additional energy-saving measures, such as EV charging stations and LED lighting, which will help reduce the stadium’s massive energy consumption.

She went on to say:

“Valley Parade has an excellent site for utilising solar power because of its optimal placement in direct sunlight. One easy, yet effective, way that the football team can assist the UK achieve its net zero targets is by installing solar panels on the stadium.!

Bradford City’s director of operations, Paula Watson, shared her excitement about the project:

“We were delighted to launch this project earlier in the summer, which represents a massive step in our journey to environmental sustainability at Bradford City AFC. I would like to thank our friends at Watt Utilities for all their help in getting this off the ground, and also SNRG, a fantastic partner who have made the fulfilment of greener energy easy. Without them, the installation of the solar panels at the University of Bradford Stadium would not have been possible.”

Watson also emphasised the positive message this initiative sends to the supporters:

“We hope supporters are encouraged and inspired by the positive steps we continue to take on this journey. We look forward to more exciting initiatives in the future, with the next phase including the installation of EV charging points at Valley Parade.”

Image Credit: Los Muertos Crew