Newcastle United scores big energy savings with new CHP system

The 185kWh natural gas-fuelled CHP system, supplied by ENER-G is expected to reduce the football club’s emissions by more than 390 tonnes every year – equivalent to taking 130 cars off the road.

Due to grid constraints, ENER-G was forced to de-rate the CHP system’s initial anticipated capacity of 230kWh to the more modest 185kWh, in accordance with the 200KVa threshold for the local area. The unit also had to be delivered in three separate parts and rebuilt on site, due to space constraints.

Onsite solution

Newcastle United facilities manager Eddie Rutherford said: “The less energy we use, the less carbon we emit and the less impact we have on the environment, both locally and globally. Our partnership with ENER-G to introduce a high efficiency CHP system is another major step in our mission to achieve outstanding green performance.”

The CHP unit has been supplied to Newcastle United as part of a 12-year agreement with ENER-G on a pay-as-you-serve basis, meaning no installation or operational costs for the football club.

Sales director for ENER-G Ian Hopkins said: “Newcastle United’s move to onsite generation with CHP is the latest success story in the club’s impressive green energy progress. The club is demonstrating that environmental leadership also makes good financial sense by reducing its energy bills at the same time as shrinking its carbon footprint.

“Best of all, the Club has installed the cogeneration system without any capital cost and is able to enjoy immediate savings, without any upfront expense.”

Greening the game

This CHP installation is the latest of a number of environmental management measures that Newcastle United has adopted as part of a six-year sustainability programme, which has reduced the club’s carbon footprint to below zero and helped it achieve “hundreds of thousands of pounds” in energy bill savings.

The Football Club has rolled out a number of on-site sustainability solutions including smart building and energy controls and bore holes for pitch irrigation, as well as an effective behaviour change programme  among operational staff to drive energy efficiency. Newcastle FC now offsets more carbon than it emits and has also secured the independent Carbon Trust Standard.

This news comes just a week after Bristol Football Club, which is also playing in the Championship this coming season, unveiled a new solar PV project at its Ashton Gate stadium as part of an ongoing partnership between the City Council and the stadium’s owner, Bristol Sport.

Stay tuned to edie next week for a football sustainability quiz to mark the launch of the 2016/17 football season.

Alex Baldwin