A Greener Game update: Learning from the data
What we've learned so far from our efforts to bring energy support to grassroots football clubs.
The Greener Game, part of E.ON Next’s ongoing collaborative project with The Football Association (The FA), is now well into its first phase.
The goal of the initiative is to help grassroots football clubs across the country lower both their energy use and carbon emissions by offering them energy audits and efficiency reports, top-tier energy-saving advice, and even funded upgrade measures including solar panels, batteries, and heat pumps.
Word is spreading, hundreds of clubs have now registered interest in the scheme, and there are plenty of exciting opportunities to come both as part of this and future phases. We’re already starting to see results from clubs that had solar panels installed as part of the pilot, with all of them having generated more electricity and greater savings than predicted for the first sunny months of summer.
With all this and more to look forward to, now is a good moment to pause and take stock of the project’s progress and successes so far.
The Greener Game so far
32 accredited clubs and County FAs from locations as diverse as Lancashire, Yorkshire, County Durham, Hertfordshire, Sussex, Dorset, and Nottinghamshire have now agreed to and completed Greener Game audits.
Of these 32 clubs, almost all opted in to receive an energy support pack. These helpful guides contain advice on scoring the best energy deal, making the most of both smart and analogue metering devices, doing electricity health checks, and taking a range of additional measures to help save energy.
As part of the support packs, clubs could also opt in to receive free devices to help them save energy. 25 clubs chose to receive a free energy monitor, helping them track and display energy use on appliances hooked up to 13A plugs, and 24 clubs opted to receive a free energy timer, helping them save power by setting plug-in devices to switch off at pre-decided times.
The more sign-ups we get for the Greener Game, the more we can learn about what grassroots football clubs in the UK really need to take control of their energy bills. For example, from the 32 sites audited so far, we’ve learned that most do not currently operate with smart meters.
Smart meters could help clubs and organisations achieve greater flexibility in their electricity use, and, combined with other upgrades such as solar and battery storage, could have a significant positive impact on their overall bills.
Between them, the grassroots clubs we’re already helping represent hundreds of teams of all ages, adding up to thousands of individuals. Every pound the Greener Game saves a club on energy is money that can be reinvested in those teams, the facilities they use, and the communities they belong to.
That’s why we’re proud to be using our energy expertise in this way, making new energy work for clubs, communities, and the whole country.
To learn more about the Greener Game, visit the England Football website here.