Great Brickhill Cricket Club - Solar Panel Installation
Great Brickhill Cricket Club first started looking into solar power around 12 months ago to try and combat the ever-increasing energy bills which stem from running a successful members club and bar. After some research and a couple of initial quotes, we parked the idea due to the large capital cost involved.
Over the last few months, we started looking at the subject again in response to learning that the Bucks Cricket Board potentially had grant funding available for renewable energy systems. At the same time, we started discussions with one of our members who jointly runs Holton Energy, a specialist in commercial solar and battery projects who helped us understand what it was possible to do based on our requirements and gave us ballpark pricing for each option. Within a few weeks, the board's enthusiasm for the project had come full circle as Holton were able to design a highly cost effective and efficient solution which made the project extremely attractive, so we launched the grant application process.
Roll on a few weeks and everything became real as the club were successful in securing the maximum grant available from the Bucks/England and Wales Cricket Board - this funding combined with the package put together by Holton, means our solar project is forecast to reach payback in just 3 years! As anyone involved with running sports clubs knows, reducing overhead is paramount, and our system will save the club over £2.5k each year.
So, armed with both grant money and the full support of the committee, our project to install 15kWp of solar and 10kWh of battery storage got underway in late July. From start to finish Holton’s communication and commitment to the project were first-class. A number of unforeseen issues raised their head along the way due to the unconventional construction of the club (it has been expanded and upgraded many times over the years), but every time a hurdle appeared, Anthony and Jamie of Holton Energy found a solid solution without charging us for the additional work - a very refreshing 'can do' approach. The installation was completed in early August, and the cricket club are already seeing much reduced electricity bills thanks to the energy our system is producing. The project has already been a massive success and means that our members' money has been wisely invested in the sustainability of the club and that we don't have to worry about the after-match pints getting warm any time soon!