When it comes to energy use, leisure facilities face consistent and predictable demand. Lighting courts, powering ventilation, running changing facilities, and keeping reception operational throughout the day all add up to a significant and ongoing electricity cost. For a member-focused club like Middlesex Badminton Dome, managing those overheads without compromising the quality of the facility is an ongoing priority.
It was this combination of operational cost pressure and a desire to make a measurable environmental commitment that led Middlesex Badminton Dome to explore commercial solar. The objective was straightforward: reduce the club's exposure to rising energy costs, generate meaningful savings from day one, and do so with a system designed specifically around the building's own consumption patterns.
Here’s what ProStar Energy provided them with:
System Capacity: 60 kWp
Total Project Cost: £35,888
First-Year Savings: £10,899
Estimated Payback Period: 3 years 2 months (30.4% ROI)
Annual Carbon Offset: 11 tonnes CO₂
Challenges and Solutions
Matching System Output to Facility Demand
A leisure centre like Middlesex Badminton Dome has relatively stable energy demand across the day, with courts in use from early morning through to the evening and facilities running continuously during opening hours. That consistent demand pattern is well suited to solar generation. The challenge is in sizing the system to match actual consumption as closely as possible, so that the energy generated is used on-site rather than exported unnecessarily at a lower return.
ProStar Energy carried out a full site assessment before finalising the specification, analysing the club's energy usage data and reviewing the available roof space on the main centre building. This allowed the system to be designed at 60 kWp, a capacity that reflects the building's genuine demand profile rather than simply the maximum that could be fitted.
Minimising Disruption to Club Operations
For a busy badminton facility, any installation work needs to be carefully coordinated around court bookings, club sessions, and member access. Downtime or disruption to the playing areas was not acceptable.
The installation programme was planned to work around the club's schedule, with access to the main building roof managed to avoid interference with court availability. Our team maintained communication with the club throughout, keeping the process transparent and the timeline on track.
Installing to Commercial Standards
A commercial leisure installation requires the same level of technical rigour and compliance as any other business premises. ProStar Energy's engineers hold BS7671 qualification and the BPEC Solar PV and energy storage qualification. All work was completed to the relevant technical standards as part of the quality assurance process.
Key Results
In its first year of operation, the 60 kWp system delivered £10,899 in savings against a total project cost of £35,888. That represents an annual return on investment of 30.4% and an estimated payback period of 3 years and 2 months.
For a club managing fixed membership fees and ongoing operating costs, this kind of predictable financial return matters. It is not a marginal saving; it is a substantive reduction in one of the facility's most significant overhead categories, realised from the point the system went live.
Beyond the financial return, the system offsets 11 tonnes of CO₂ annually, giving the club a credible and measurable environmental contribution that sits alongside its broader role in the local community. All manufacturer warranties are in place and tracked through ProStar Energy's CRM system, and the two-year workmanship warranty, backed by available servicing packages, means the club has a clear point of contact as the system matures.
Reliability and long-term value are central to how leisure facilities are managed, making this continuity of support as important as the installation itself.
A Long-Term Investment in Facility Resilience
For Middlesex Badminton Dome, this installation is about more than cost reduction. The savings generated flow directly back into the facility, reducing the financial pressure that rising energy costs place on a community sporting venue. At the same time, the carbon offset figure reflects a practical commitment to sustainability that sits well with the values of a sport and leisure environment.
Modern solar PV panels are designed to perform reliably for 25 years or more. With a payback period of just over three years, the system will continue to generate returns long after the initial investment has been recovered. That long-term outlook is what makes solar a sound financial decision for sports clubs and leisure facilities that plan in years rather than months.
If your sports club or leisure facility is considering commercial solar panels and you want a clear picture of what a system could realistically deliver, the first step is a free site survey. Get in touch with the ProStar Energy team below or call us on 03316 302 225 to arrange an assessment.
