The E.ON team making a difference for the Greener Game

The Greener Game – a collaborative project between E.ON Next and England Football aimed at bringing energy cost support and sustainable upgrades to English grassroots football clubs – is now well underway. 

As part of the project, we’ve been arranging energy audits, information support packs, and even special surprise visits from star footballers for grassroots clubs across the country. With the ball now rolling, we checked in with members of the E.ON Control Solutions team who are helping make the Greener Game happen, so here’s our Q&A with Head of Energy Management and Service Delivery Brian Taylor, Senior Energy Manager Antony Atkin, and Energy Analyst Sam Hilton. 

E.ON: Can you start by explaining what the Greener Game is all about? 

Antony: The main goal is to help grassroots clubs save money on their energy costs. By cutting down on their gas and electricity bills, they can free up funds to invest in the club itself—whether that’s upgrading facilities, buying new kits, or just improving operations. The idea is that saving on energy means more money for grassroots football. 

E.ON: So, as you've been assessing clubs and what they need, how much potential for improvement have you found? 

Sam: It really varies. Some clubs are working with fairly old facilities, while others already have at least some measures in place. We’ve seen things like an old coal boiler converted to gas—so many opportunities for improvement!  

Brian: The most common fixes are things like switching to LED lights and improving energy controls, making sure lights and heaters aren’t left on unnecessarily. Things like that. But we’ve also found a lot of clubs have welcomed help to better understand their energy bills, especially since a lot of them are run by volunteers who do amazing work but might not have an energy background. 

E.ON: Can you explain how the process works for clubs? 

Antony: When a club signs up they get an energy pack from E.ON Next and England Football, which includes an info booklet,  an energy monitor that helps them track their energy usage, and some helpful nudges such as stickers that clubs can use to encourage good habits. They also get plug-in timers to help manage things like lights and heating more efficiently. After that, they can apply for an energy audit. If they’re eligible we’ll come and visit the club, assess the site, and give them a detailed report with recommendations—like adding insulation, installing solar panels, or even switching to heat pumps. The report will also include a breakdown of savings, with options for short, medium, and long-term changes. The Audit is issued to the Club, the recommendations within the audit go to a technical and funding panel, and if they’re approved, eligible clubs get an award letter for specific projects with a funding offer they can accept or decline. 

Brian: And what’s really notable here is that the auditors going out to these clubs are of an extremely high calibre. These are industry-approved government energy savings auditors, professionals in metering, verification, data analysis, project management – all people who are usually doing projects for manufacturing plants, hotel chains, distribution networks, working on large-scale heat pump and multi-site solar installations. Basically, these grassroots clubs are getting access to top-tier expertise and support through the Greener Game programme. 

E.ON: What kind of equipment are you offering to clubs that are eligible for upgrades? 

Brian: We’ll be installing products like  Solar panels and batteries for the solar solutions, which are a good mid-range option for clubs. The battery sizes depend on the club’s needs, and all systems come with a mobile phone app so the clubs can see how much energy their solar panels are producing and track battery usage. 

E.ON: But clubs can start saving energy before they’ve received any new equipment, right? 

Sam: Absolutely. We’re finding a lot of it is just about making clubs aware of small things that are wasting energy. For example, we went to one club where a heater had been left on in the changing rooms for days after a match. Even before making major changes, just being mindful about turning things off when they’re not needed can make a big difference. 

E.ON: Following a successful pilot last November, the Greener Game properly kicked off in February – how has it been going? 

Antony: So far the feedback has been really positive. We learned a lot from the 4 clubs involved in the pilot, and the clubs that have had solar panels installed are already seeing savings – our models are showing that one club has actually cut its energy bill in half and we’re barely out of winter! As the weather improves, those savings will just keep growing. 

E.ON: What’s been your favourite part of working on the Greener Game so far? 

Sam: It’s been great to see how dedicated the volunteers are. It’s been really rewarding to help these clubs, knowing they’re making such a positive impact in their communities. 

Brian: The volunteers are amazing. They put in a lot of work, whether it’s supporting kids, promoting mental health, or providing entertainment. It’s incredible to be part of something that helps these clubs keep going, especially with rising energy costs. I’m proud of the work we’re doing, and the reception we’ve had from everyone involved has been mind blowing. As a lifelong West Ham supporter, I’m hoping some of the kids benefitting will go on to play for the Hammers one day. 

E.ON: What do you hope to see next for the project? 

Antony: I’d love to see more clubs get involved, because there are so many that could benefit from this. We’ve been pushing the message through social media, and the more people hear about it the better. If clubs knew they could get an upgrade that could cut their energy bill in half for free, I think they’d jump at the chance. 

E.ON: Brian, Antony, Sam – thank you very much! 

Brian, Antony, and Sam: Thank you! 

Learn more about how E.ON Next and England Football are supporting grassroots English football through the Greener Game here.