In the U.K., Manchester City Football Club is rolling out a large-scale solar installation across its academy training complex and Joie Stadium. In November 2024, 2,800 of the 10,000 solar panel array had already been installed. “By transitioning to self-supplied renewable energy, we will guarantee a consistent flow of clean power that offsets the energy required to run the stadium and significantly reduce its environmental impact,” said the club’s director of sustainability, Pete Bradshaw.

In the U.S., 32% of NFL stadiums are powered by onsite solar arrays. It is an NBA team that has the largest solar installation however. The NBA’s Sacramento Kings stadium, Golden 1 Center, uses a mix of both onsite and offsite installations and represents 58% of the capacity installed at NBA arenas.

2. Sponsors Help Reduce Impact And Raise Awareness

Several major sports stadiums worldwide are now sponsored by renewable energy companies, signalling a growing commitment to sustainability in sport.

Italy’s Bluenergy Stadium, home to Udinese Calcio, began a strategic partnership with Bluenergy Group in early 2024 to install solar panels on the roof of the stadium. “Our goal is to become the first carbon free stadium in Italy within three to five years,” said Magda Pozzo, Udinese’s chief commercial officer in an interview with Forbes.

In April 2025 the ‘Energia in Campo’ project was launched, a system that features 2,409 solar panels on the stadium’s roof, able to generate around 1.1 million kilowatt hours annually.

Premier League football team Arsenal partner with Octopus Energy to run their stadium on 100% renewable electricity, with over 103 games being powered in this way. 2.32 million kg of CO₂ emissions per year are reportedly saved through this partnership, the equivalent of 844 double-decker buses. Arsenal’s 3MW mega battery allows Arsenal to avoid the grid during peak times and store clean energy for match day use. Even fans benefit, with a special Arsenal green tariff offering 100% renewable power and prize draws.

3. Innovations In Sport Push Clean Energy Boundaries

Earlier this year the Formula E Championship launched Pit Boost, a new electric vehicle recharging technology that provides a 10% energy increase through a 30-second, 600kW boost in the pit lane. This technological step forward in EV charging, deploys much more power than current consumer superchargers. “It’s fast charging on a mega level,” NEOM McLaren chief engineer Albert Lau confirmed, “probably two times faster than anything available on the road at the moment.”

Formula E’s “race-to-road” technology platform looks to apply innovations directly to the development of EVs for the public. Manufacturers use Formula E to push the boundaries of electric vehicle technology, ultimately improving the performance and efficiency of their road-going EVs, “What we learn on the racetrack through software enables us to transfer that information to our core engineering teams for our future vehicles,” commented James Barclay, team principal of Jaguar TCS Formula E racing team.

Teenager Gyeongyun Lily Min hopes “acoustic energy harvesting” could someday convert the loud sounds of sports arenas into electricity. After building a working model of a basketball stadium in her garage to test how sound vibrations could power piezoelectric devices, she designed different energy harvesters to focus sound onto these devices.

Her innovative project earned her a finalist spot at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair. Mechanical engineer at the University of Michigan, Daniel Inman, sees promise in the concept but notes that piezoelectric harvesting still faces efficiency and scalability challenges. Gyeongyun remains optimistic, saying, “By advancing the quality of piezoelectric devices and optimizing their deployment, we can unlock a new avenue for sustainable energy production.”

The Power of Sport To Drive Renewable Energy Uptake

Earth Day 2025’s goal to unite people around tripling renewable electricity by 2030 highlights the need for global collaboration and mobilization of communities. Sport has a unique role to play, both operationally and through its cultural influence. With its infrastructure and fan reach, the sporting world is perfectly positioned to accelerate awareness, innovation, and real-world impact.

From powering stadiums sustainably through renewable energy, inspiring fans through visible green action, and innovating, sport can be a driving force in meeting Earth Day’s mission for a cleaner, more resilient future.