Bath Sports & Leisure Centre is set to significantly enhance its energy efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint through a new rooftop solar energy project. The initiative is backed by a successful funding bid from Bath & North East Somerset Council, which secured £173,166 from the UK government’s Swimming Pool Support Fund (SPSF).
Project to Deliver Savings with UK Funds Solar Photovoltaic Project at Bath Leisure Centre
The grant will finance the installation of a rooftop photovoltaic array with a capacity of up to 212 kilowatt peak (kWp). Of this, an estimated 124kWp will be dedicated to powering the centre’s swimming pools, a major source of energy consumption. The surplus electricity generated could potentially power future decarbonisation upgrades, such as air source heat pumps. The project is forecast to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 23.04 tonnes and deliver annual energy cost savings of £41,000. Council progress reports have already noted the completion of a 90 kWp phase of the rooftop solar project as part of its wider estate decarbonisation programme.
A Boost for Local Climate Goals via UK Funds Solar Photovoltaic Project at Bath Leisure Centre
Councillor Oli Henman, Cabinet Project Lead for Climate Emergency and Sustainability, celebrated the funding. “We are pleased to have secured this financial support, which will propel us forward in our mission to decarbonize our council buildings and foster renewable energy generation,” he said. “It will reduce the building’s energy consumption and carbon footprint, helping us reach our Net Zero objective by 2030.” This aligns with the council’s broader targets of achieving 300MW of district-wide renewable capacity and 12MW on its corporate estate.
Barnaby Rich, Partnership Manager at GLL, the charitable social enterprise that manages the centre, also welcomed the news. He emphasized that the funding “will enable the centre to lower operating expenses and use sustainable energy,” aligning with GLL’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
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The Swimming Pool Support Fund is a critical national programme administered by Sport England, combining £40 million in government funding with an additional £20 million from the National Lottery. As reported, the high demand for support was stark, with over 700 facilities applying for a total of four times the available capital.
Lisa Dodd-Mayne, Executive Director at Sport England, highlighted the challenges pools face with rising costs. “We hope this funding announcement will enable more public pools to improve their energy efficiency to make them more environmentally and financially sustainable for the future,” she stated.
The fund has enabled numerous councils to deploy solar (PV) technology. For example, Worcester City Council received £195,000 to install solar panels on its leisure centre, while West Lindsey District Council secured over £400,000 for a large installation of 545 photovoltaic modules.
Sources
- [PDF] The Big Energy Summit 2025 The APSE Energy Awards 2026
- £170k of funding awarded to install solar panels on sports centre
- [PDF] Bath & North East Somerset Annual Climate and Nature Progress …
- [PDF] Bath & North East Somerset Annual Climate and Nature Progress …
- Annual Report 24–25 – Bath & West Community Energy
- Bath leisure centre receives government funding for rooftop solar
- Swimming Pool Support Fund helps facilities prepare for future
- Cleveland Pools – West of England Mayoral Combined Authority