Worcester City Council : Commercial Solar Installation Case Study
Project Overview
Energy Gain was appointed to design and install a 236kWp commercial rooftop solar PV system at Perdiswell Leisure Centre on behalf of Worcester City Council. The project was designed to reduce the leisure centre’s reliance on grid electricity, lower operational carbon emissions and support the Council’s long-term sustainability strategy.
Operated by Freedom Leisure in partnership with Worcester City Council, Perdiswell Leisure Centre is a busy public facility featuring swimming pools, fitness suites, sports halls and community facilities. With high daytime electricity demand, the building was ideally suited to onsite solar generation, allowing renewable electricity to be generated where it is needed most.
The installation supports Worcester City Council’s wider commitment to improving energy efficiency across its public buildings while reducing long-term operating costs and carbon emissions.
The Challenge
Delivering a commercial solar installation at an operational leisure centre required detailed planning, careful engineering and close coordination to ensure minimal disruption to staff, visitors and day-to-day activities.
Maintaining Leisure Centre Operations
Perdiswell Leisure Centre remained fully operational throughout the installation, with swimming lessons, fitness classes, sports activities and public access continuing as normal.
The key challenge was completing the installation safely while ensuring visitors could continue using the facility with minimal disruption.
Large Commercial Roof Areas
Leisure centres offer significant opportunities for solar generation due to their extensive roof space, but careful assessment is required before installation.
The system design needed to maximise available roof space while considering structural suitability, panel positioning, cable routes and long-term system performance.
Working Around an Active Public Facility
Public buildings require strict management of contractor access, deliveries, lifting operations and site safety.
Installation activities were carefully coordinated around the leisure centre’s operational requirements to maintain a safe environment for staff, visitors and contractors throughout the project.
Supporting Long-Term Sustainability Objectives
Worcester City Council required a solar solution that would reduce operating costs while contributing towards its wider environmental and carbon reduction objectives.
The system needed to maximise onsite renewable electricity generation while providing long-term reliability and measurable environmental benefits.
Our Solution
Every stage of the project was carefully planned to ensure the solar installation could be delivered safely, efficiently and with minimal disruption.
Energy Gain worked closely with Worcester City Council and Freedom Leisure to develop a commercial solar PV system that maximised renewable energy generation across the available roof space. Detailed planning considered panel layout, electrical design, installation sequencing and the operational requirements of the leisure centre.
A comprehensive installation programme ensured normal public access and leisure centre operations continued throughout construction while maintaining the highest standards of health and safety.
The completed 236kWp commercial rooftop solar PV system now generates renewable electricity directly onsite, reducing reliance on imported grid electricity and helping lower the facility’s ongoing energy costs.
The project was delivered with a strong focus on engineering quality, safety and long-term reliability, ensuring the system will continue generating clean energy for many years.
Project Results
The completed commercial solar PV installation now generates clean electricity directly at Perdiswell Leisure Centre, helping Worcester City Council reduce energy costs, lower carbon emissions and support its long-term sustainability objectives.
The 236kWp rooftop solar PV system is expected to generate approximately 169MWh of renewable electricity each year, saving around 64 tonnes of COâ‚‚ annually. Over its operational lifetime, the system is forecast to generate approximately 4,610MWh of clean electricity while preventing around 955 tonnes of carbon emissions, significantly reducing the leisure centre’s reliance on imported grid electricity and delivering long-term environmental and financial benefits.
Project Statistics
System Size: 236 kWp
Solar Panels Installed: 525
Annual Generation: 169 MWh
Lifetime Generation: 4610 MWh
Annual COâ‚‚ Savings: 64 Tonnes
Lifetime COâ‚‚ Savings: 955 Tonnes
Engineering Insight
Leisure centres are particularly well suited to commercial solar because electricity demand is typically highest during daylight hours when solar generation is at its peak.
Swimming pools, gyms, lighting, ventilation systems, air handling units and other building services create a consistent daytime electrical load, allowing a large proportion of the renewable electricity generated to be consumed onsite.
Before installation, Energy Gain considered key engineering factors including:
- Available roof area and system positioning
- Solar generation potential
- Electrical infrastructure requirements
- Cable routing and inverter locations
- Future maintenance access
- Safe installation methodology
Designing a commercial solar system is about far more than installing the maximum number of panels. Every installation must balance energy generation, operational requirements, structural considerations and long-term performance.
For public leisure facilities, maximising onsite electricity consumption helps deliver the greatest financial savings while reducing dependence on the National Grid.
Why Solar is Ideal for Leisure Centres
Leisure centres are among the strongest candidates for commercial solar due to their consistently high daytime electricity demand.
Swimming pools, filtration systems, heating, lighting, gyms, changing facilities and ventilation equipment all require significant amounts of electricity throughout the day, aligning closely with peak solar generation.
By generating renewable electricity onsite, leisure centres can:
- Reduce electricity costs
- Lower carbon emissions
- Improve energy security
- Support local authority sustainability objectives
- Reduce operational expenditure
- Demonstrate commitment to environmentally responsible public services
Commercial solar also provides greater control over future energy costs while helping local authorities progress towards their net-zero ambitions.
Looking to Install Commercial Solar?
Energy Gain specialises in delivering large-scale commercial solar installations for local authorities, leisure centres and public sector organisations across the UK.
From initial feasibility assessments through to design, installation and commissioning, our team helps councils reduce energy costs, lower carbon emissions and achieve their sustainability objectives.
If your organisation is considering commercial solar, contact Energy Gain to discover how much renewable energy your public buildings could generate.
