Powering a world famous sporting venue into the 21st Century: solar energy behind The Queen’s Club’

There are few places in tennis that carry the quiet weight of tradition like The Queen’s Club in London.

Grass courts. Pre-Wimbledon anticipation. A venue where performance is measured in milliseconds and margins are razor-thin.

Behind that precision, however, lies something less visible - but equally critical: energy. And increasingly, how that energy is produced.

At The Queen’s Club, performance has always been the standard. Through the integration of a commercial solar PV system, the venue is now helping redefine what sustainable sports facilities look like in practice.

Designed for reliability in a high-performance environment

In sports infrastructure, energy systems must operate with the same reliability as the events they support.

Lighting, hospitality, operations, player facilities and broadcasting all depend on uninterrupted performance. At a venue like The Queen’s Club, any new infrastructure must work seamlessly in the background - without disrupting the day-to-day life of the club or the calendar of elite competition.

The project involved a solar PV installation across multiple systems, using 927 SunPower 455W modules, carefully integrated across the site.

The systems are installed across multiple rooftops at the club, specifically on the Clubhouse buildings and the Junior Club, allowing the project to maximise available space while adapting to the operational and architectural constraints of the venue.

Crucially, the installation was carried out while the club remained fully operational.

“The club remained fully operational throughout the installation, with works carefully planned and coordinated to minimise disruption to members, staff and ongoing activities.”

SunPower technology in a visibility-sensitive setting

For a project of this nature, module choice mattered - and so did the expertise behind that decision.

Working as a SunPower partner installer, EvoEnergy played a central role in both the design and delivery of the system, ensuring that technology selection aligned with the operational demands of a high-performance sports venue.

The system uses SunPower 455W modules, selected to support long-term energy performance in an environment where reliability, consistency and seamless integration are essential.

“SunPower was chosen because this was a project where performance over time really mattered. In a venue of this profile, reliability and predictable generation are just as important as installed capacity.”

Beyond technology selection, EvoEnergy was also responsible for translating these requirements into a viable on-site solution.

There were important design considerations.

On Clubhouse 1B, the solar PV installation was integrated alongside a new insulated roof - a decision led by EvoEnergy that not only enabled the system but also improved the building’s thermal efficiency, supporting court operations during the winter months.

This reflects a broader approach: delivering solar not as an isolated upgrade, but as part of a holistic infrastructure improvement, where design, performance and operational continuity are addressed together.

Performance results: exceeding expectations

The strength of the project lies not only in the numbers, but in how the system was designed and integrated.

Over its first year, the installation delivered:

• 369,756 kWh of total generation

• Approximately 3% above the original annual estimate

• Clubhouse 1A performing at +3.4% above forecast

• The Junior Club system performing at +3.6% above forecast

• Over 90% onsite usage across two of the three systems

• Approximately 56,500–58,000 kg CO₂e avoided

• Consistent system uptime with no major outages

These results position the project as a strong solar performance case study in the UK, demonstrating that solar PV in sports infrastructure can deliver both reliability and measurable impact - even in complex, high-demand environments.

“The system outperforming forecast is the result of strong design, high-quality technology and stable operational performance across all systems.”

What high onsite usage means in practice

One of the most valuable metrics in this project is the high level of onsite energy usage.

In practical terms, this means that the vast majority of the electricity generated by the system is used directly by The Queen’s Club rather than exported - turning solar production into immediate operational value.

“High onsite usage means the energy is working for the club in real time. It’s not just renewable generation on paper - it is directly offsetting electricity that would otherwise be purchased from the grid.”

The combined system currently offsets approximately 25.3% of the club’s total electricity demand across all installed arrays.

This has a direct operational impact.

Within the first year alone, the installation has delivered over £100,000 in energy cost savings, reinforcing both the financial and strategic value of the project.

More than infrastructure: a strategic business decision

Projects like this are rarely just about technology. They are about priorities.

For The Queen’s Club, the objective was clear: support carbon reduction goals while improving long-term cost efficiency.

“The primary objective behind the project was to support the club’s carbon reduction and broader sustainability goals, while also delivering long-term cost efficiencies.”

This reflects a broader shift in how high-profile venues evaluate infrastructure:

• Not only in terms of ROI

• But also in terms of sustainability, resilience and brand positioning

The project involved coordination across operational, technical and strategic teams, ensuring alignment between day-to-day requirements and long-term vision.

A broader signal for sport

Sustainability is no longer a side initiative in sport. It is becoming part of how venues are designed, operated and perceived.

At The Queen’s Club, this is increasingly visible.

“Sustainability is a visible and important topic for the club, with growing interest from members, sponsors and visitors around environmental performance and responsible operations.”

While the solar system operates largely behind the scenes, it plays a key role in shaping how the venue evolves in line with modern expectations.

The impact is already extending beyond this single installation.

“The success of the project has prompted further consideration, with the club now exploring additional solar PV installations across other buildings on site.”

Powering the game beyond the court

With increased visibility around events such as the HSBC Championship, The Queen’s Club becomes more than a sporting venue.

It becomes a live demonstration of how sustainability performs under pressure - in front of players, partners, members and global audiences alike.

The solar installation creates a narrative that connects:

• Performance on court

• Energy behind the scenes

• Sustainability in action

This makes the project relevant not only as infrastructure, but as a powerful communication asset.

Real-time performance dashboards, event-driven storytelling and social amplification all become possible - because the system is already delivering what matters most: credible, measurable performance.

Conclusion: a benchmark for solar in sports venues

The Queen’s Club project shows that solar energy for sports venues can meet the highest standards of performance.

It delivers:

• Reliable energy generation

• High onsite energy usage

• Strong financial and environmental returns

• Seamless integration into a high-performance environment

As more venues look to adopt commercial solar solutions in the UK, this project stands as a compelling reference point.

Not as an experiment. But as a model that already works.

In this context, SunPower - together with its Partner Network - enables companies to transition towards more efficient, reliable and sustainable energy models, with both technological and operational assurance.

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