The Premier League club, AFC Bournemouth have forged a three-year partnership with Utilita, the UK-based electricity and gas supplier.
With this deal, the brand has been named the club’s official energy and sustainability partner. Utilita has already begun the setting up of over 600 solar panels at the Cherries’ new Canford training facility.
The array will be stretched throughout the main roof and pitch maintenance building, reducing the club’s yearly CO2 emissions by 30,000 kilogrammes while also saving £1.5 million. Notably, the installation is planned to be completed by the end of summer.
Darren Booth, Project Manager at Canford, said, “Sustainability has always been a key pillar of the training ground project, so to be delivering it on such a high level is something we’re really proud of.”
Archie Lasseter, Head of Sustainability at Utilita, said, “It’s really encouraging to see a football club invest in solar, particularly one of AFC Bournemouth’s gravitas. “This industry-first installation is – if you’d excuse the pun – a perfect ‘cherry on top’ for the remarkable new facility in Canford. Thanks to the array, the club will become a leading force in the drive for sustainability across football, producing 280,000 kWp annually and significantly slashing carbon emissions.”
Utilita will also collaborate with AFC Bournemouth on many sustainability programs, notably a 20-week effort with the Community Sports Trust to raise local understanding of green energy and solar power.
Other options involve the Utilita Energy Savings Champion, which allows fans to nominate someone in their neighbourhood who has made a conscientious effort to assist the environment, with the winner getting an exclusive VIP award.
In exchange, the club will support Utilita’s Football Rebooted initiative. The boot recycling plan, which seeks to save one million pairs of boots from ending up in landfills, allows everyone, regardless of background, to participate in the Beautiful Game. Cherries supporters may donate or claim pre-worn football boots for free at the club’s Vitality Stadium shop.
Rob Mitchell, Commercial Director at AFC Bournemouth, said, “It’s fantastic to partner with Utilita and have them on board as our Official Energy and Sustainability Partner. The club will benefit enormously from the partnership, via community initiatives and the solar PV installation at our new training complex.”
Bill Bullen, CEO and Co-founder at Utilita, commented, “We are delighted to be partnering with such a high-profile club. It’s a wonderful opportunity to bring our campaigns to a wider audience and bolster our reputation as the go-to business to deliver large-scale solar projects of this nature. I also look forward to watching our joint initiatives grow and blossom over the next three years, because giving back to the communities we serve will always be a top priority of ours.”
Prior to this, the club also developed ties with the Asian gambling company, bj88.
