Max SteventonAscot Racecourse has completed the installation of a rooftop solar array on the Grandstand roof as part of efforts to reduce emissions and increase on-site renewable energy generation.
The system, delivered through a partnership with SSE Energy Solutions and Ortus Energy, consists of more than 1,200 solar panels installed across the 480-metre length of the Grandstand roof.
The array has a generating capacity of 608.04 kWp and is expected to produce around 569,000 kWh of electricity in its first year once fully energised.
According to Ascot, the electricity generated by the system will be used entirely on site and is expected to offset around 9% of the racecourse’s annual electricity consumption. The installation is projected to reduce emissions by approximately 118 tonnes of CO₂e in its first year of operation.
The project is scheduled for final grid connection and electrification in early summer. The renewable energy generated will support race meetings, including Royal Ascot, alongside day-to-day operations and more than 180 non-racing events hosted at the venue each year.
The installation has been integrated into the existing Grandstand structure, which opened in 2006. Ascot said the project demonstrates how large-scale renewable infrastructure can be incorporated into established sporting venues.
The project has been financed through a long-term power purchase agreement between SSE Energy Solutions and Ortus Energy. Under the arrangement, SSE funds the project while Ortus Energy is responsible for the design, installation and operation of the system. Ascot said the agreement required no upfront capital investment from the racecourse.
The project comes as sporting organisations face increasing pressure to reduce emissions and as the UK Government targets expanding national solar capacity to between 45GW and 47GW by 2030.
“This installation is a significant milestone for Ascot,” said Ascot Racecourse CEO Felicity Barnard. “It allows us to take a major step forward in our plans to cut emissions and strengthen the resilience of our operations. By turning our Grandstand roof into a long-term energy asset, and bringing the system online later this year, we will be supporting both our environmental commitments and the future sustainability of the racecourse.”
SSE Energy Solutions customer asset director Tamsin Lishman said, “Projects like Ascot demonstrate how commercial solar can be delivered at scale, even in complex and high-profile environments, helping customers build resilience and make tangible progress on their net zero ambitions once systems are energised.”