SAINTS have switched on a new rooftop solar panel installation at Staplewood, with the project expected to cut energy costs and carbon emissions while supplying a proportion of the site’s electricity.
A total of 452 solar panels have been installed across the roofs of the Markus Liebherr Pavilion and the Gym building at the club’s training ground.
The four-week installation started in October 2026 and forms part of The Halo Effect, Southampton FC’s long-term sustainability strategy.
The system is expected to generate around 20 per cent of the Pavilion’s total annual electricity consumption, reducing reliance on grid power and improving energy resilience at the site.
Over the 20-year life of the agreement, the club estimates energy cost savings of around £600,000. The project has been delivered in partnership with long-standing club partner Utilita, with the two organisations working together since 2017.
The installation has been structured through a Power Purchase Agreement, allowing the club to lock in predictable long-term energy costs amid rising prices.
The solar array was officially switched on at an event on 28 January attended by first-team players Tom Fellows and Jay Robinson, under-18 academy players Harry Gathercole and Korban McMullan, and Councillor John Savage of Southampton City Council, alongside representatives from the club and Utilita.
Speaking at the event, Greg Baker, chief revenue officer at Southampton FC, said: “This is a great moment for the club.
“What began as a sustainability commitment has now become a visible, working renewable energy solution that will benefit Southampton FC for years to come. This project shows how football can drive meaningful environmental change.”
Utilita chief executive officer Bill Bullen added: “This partnership demonstrates how organisations can turn ambition into action. Today’s switch-on is not just symbolic. It’s practical, measurable progress towards a cleaner energy future.”
Saints academy graduate Robinson said: “It’s important because Utilita are a local business and this is good for everybody. It saves money for the club and it’s good for the environment.”
Fellows, who arrived at St Mary’s in an £8million deal last summer, said: “The Pavilion is a big building and there are people here working every day, so it probably uses a lot of energy.
“Now, it will be a lot better for the environment to use the solar panels and get electricity that way. A lot of work has gone into it here.
“Not many football clubs have this so it’s a big step forward. We’re taking the right steps to help the environment and it will save the club money too.”
The technical delivery of the installation was overseen by Darren Pollard, head of estates at Southampton FC, who said the system had been designed to meet growing operational demands at the training ground and allow for future expansion.
From an environmental perspective, the club estimates the installation will reduce carbon emissions by approximately 33,000kg of CO2 each year. A dedicated reporting dashboard will allow the estates team to monitor performance in real time and optimise efficiency.
Saints said it would continue to share updates on the system’s performance and explore further sustainability projects across club operations.
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