Ascot Racecourse has taken a significant step in its efforts to cut emissions with the installation of a major new rooftop solar array, delivered with SSE Energy Solutions and Ortus Energy.
The rooftop solar system – which is scheduled for final grid connection and electrification early summer – will help Ascot with its ambition to be one of the most sustainable sporting venues in the world. As well as Royal Ascot and other race days, it will support day-to-day operations and more than 180 non-racing events held at the venue each year.
The rooftop solar system will offset around nine percent of Ascot’s annual electricity consumption and deliver year‑one carbon savings of approximately 118 tonnes of CO₂e, providing measurable emissions reductions.
Installed across the 480‑metre-long roof of the Grandstand, the array has a total capacity of 608.04kWp and comprises more than 1,200 solar panels. It is expected to generate approximately 569,000kWh of renewable electricity in its first year once energised, enough power for a medium sized electric car to drive just over one million laps of the course. The system is designed so that 100% of the energy generated will be used on site, supporting day-to-day operations at Ascot Racecourse.
A horse running at 40mph would need to run non-stop for 14.5 years to produce the same amount of energy, while a field of eight horses competing over the Gold Cup trip of two-and-a-half miles would need to run for a combined time of 1.82 years.
Ascot now sits alongside the London Stadium and Manchester City’s campus as having one of the most substantial on-site solar installations in UK sport, and is a flagship within British horse racing.
Felicity Barnard, Chief Executive of Ascot Racecourse, said, “This installation is a significant milestone for Ascot. It allows us to take a major step forward in our plans to cut emissions and strengthen the resilience of our operations. By turning our Grandstand roof into a long-term energy asset, and bringing the system online later this year, we will be supporting both our environmental commitments and the future sustainability of the racecourse.”
Tamsin Lishman, Customer Asset Director, SSE Energy Solutions, said, “Rooftop solar is one of the most effective ways for organisations to cut emissions while improving cost stability and energy security. Projects like Ascot demonstrate how commercial solar can be delivered at scale, even in complex and high-profile environments, helping customers build resilience and make tangible progress on their net zero ambitions once systems are energised.”
Alistair Booth, Chief Executive Officer, Ortus Energy, said, “Commercial rooftop solar is a major opportunity for the UK to cut emissions, particularly as the Government targets a significant expansion of solar capacity to 45–47GW by 2030.
“In sport, organisations are also under growing pressure to reduce their environmental impact, with UK Sport identifying sustainability as a core pillar of its social impact strategy.
“Ascot Racecourse shows what’s possible when ambition, expertise and delivery align – acting ahead of mandate and setting the benchmark. Through a power purchase agreement, the system provides a robust, long-term solution with clear visibility on energy, usage and carbon savings once live – ensuring measurable, lasting impact.”
The system is fully integrated into the existing Grandstand, originally opened in 2006, and shows how permanent infrastructure of this scale can be deployed at heritage venues without compromising their character or operational demands. The project also demonstrates how unused roof space at sporting venues can be transformed into a strategic energy asset.
Solar power delivers significant emissions reductions while also helping organisations manage exposure to volatile energy prices and build greater operational resilience. At a time when organisations are under increasing pressure to cut emissions – and as the UK Government targets a fivefold increase in solar capacity to 45–47GW by 2030 – on-site generation offers a practical and immediate route to progress once systems are brought online.
The project also reflects a wider shift across elite sport, where UK Sport has identified environmental sustainability as a core pillar of its social impact agenda, with a focus on reducing the sector’s own environmental footprint.
For Ascot, the installation provides the foundation for long-term cost certainty through on-site generation once energised, while reducing reliance on imported electricity and supporting progress towards organisational net zero targets.
The project is fully financed via a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) between SSE Energy Solutions and Ortus Energy, requiring no upfront capital from Ascot. SSE funds the scheme while Ortus Energy designs, installs and operates the rooftop system, enabling access to clean energy with long-term price visibility once the array is live.
