AFC Bournemouth is to become one of the greenest sporting outfits in the UK thanks to a groundbreaking new deal.
The club is delighted to announce an impactful three-year agreement with Utilita, its official Energy and Sustainability Partner going forward. Utilita has already started to deliver the installation of over 600 solar panels at the Cherries’ brand new Canford training complex.
The array will spread across the main roof and pitch maintenance building and as a result, the club will slash its annual CO2 emissions by 30,000 kilograms – in addition to a cost saving of £1.5 million.
The installation is expected to be finished by the end of the summer.
Darren Booth, Project Manager at Canford, spoke regarding the solar agreement: “Sustainability has always been a key pillar of the training ground project, so to be delivering it on such a high level is something we’re really proud of.”
Archie Lasseter, Head of Sustainability at Utilita, added: “It’s really encouraging to see a football club invest in solar, particularly one of AFC Bournemouth’s gravitas. “This industry-first installation is – if you’d excuse the pun – a perfect ‘cherry on top’ for the remarkable new facility in Canford.
“Thanks to the array, the club will become a leading force in the drive for sustainability across football, producing 280,000 kWp annually and significantly slashing carbon emissions.”
Utilita will also be collaborating with AFC Bournemouth across several campaigns to promote sustainability, including a 20-week initiative with the Community Sports Trust to create awareness locally around green energy and solar power.
Others include the Utilita Energy Savings Champion, whereby fans can nominate someone in the community who has made a conscious effort to help the environment, with the winner receiving an exclusive VIP prize.
In return, the club will support Utilita’s Football Rebooted campaign. The boot recycling scheme – which aims to prevent one million pairs of boots going to landfill – gives everyone the chance to play the Beautiful Game regardless of their background. Cherries fans can donate or claim pre-played football boots for free in the club’s Vitality Stadium store.
Following the deal, Rob Mitchell, Commercial Director at AFC Bournemouth, shared his delight: “It’s fantastic to partner with Utilita and have them on board as our Official Energy and Sustainability Partner.
“The club will benefit enormously from the partnership, via community initiatives and the solar PV installation at our new training complex.”
Bill Bullen, CEO and Co-founder at Utilita, commented: “We are delighted to be partnering with such a high-profile club. It’s a wonderful opportunity to bring our campaigns to a wider audience and bolster our reputation as the go-to business to deliver large-scale solar projects of this nature.
“I also look forward to watching our joint initiatives grow and blossom over the next three years, because giving back to the communities we serve will always be a top priority of ours.”
AFC Bournemouth would like to extend its thanks to Utilita for their continued commitment to ensuring sustainability remains at the heart of the club’s foundations.