Ilkley Club Cuts Payback to Less Than Six Years on Solar Energy
Ilkley Lawn Tennis and Squash Club says its solar energy panels should pay back in less than six years. The system went in during March this year, and the club expects the installation to cut electricity costs by around £20,000 a year. Most of the power should stay on site.
Gavin Sutcliffe's March Installation
Gavin Sutcliffe, the club’s general manager, said the decision was driven by cost and emissions. “We wanted to get our solar panels in place for two reasons – environmental and economic.”
He also said the club was nearing the end of a long-term electricity purchase contract and was facing a “significant increase.” That makes the timing of the installation sharper than it looks at first glance: the panels are not just a sustainability add-on, they are a hedge against a higher bill.
“We were also keen to reduce the Club’s carbon footprint, partly because this is something our members have told us is important and also to work towards the sustainability aspirations of the LTA, who have set carbon footprint reduction targets across the whole grass court season of international events,” Sutcliffe said.
£0.5 Million Over 25 Years
Ilkley Lawn Tennis and Squash Club expects returns of over £0.5 million across the panels’ 25-year life. About 80% of the energy generated is likely to be used on site, with the remaining 20% exported to the grid.
The arithmetic matters because it gives the club a clear operating target rather than a vague environmental statement. With annual savings of around £20,000 and a payback period of less than six years, the project is structured around reducing overheads now and continuing to offset bills for years after the initial cost has been recovered.
Climate Action Ilkley said the case for solar has improved as costs have fallen over the past 50 years, with every doubling of production cutting panel prices by nearly 24%. It also said the argument for solar is even stronger after the latest spike in fossil fuel costs caused by the U.S. war on Iran.
Ilkley Sports Clubs Follow
Ilkley Lawn Tennis and Squash Club is part of a growing list of local sporting and community organisations using solar to trim bills. Ilkley Cricket Club and Olicanian CC installed solar panels on their clubhouses in the last 18 months, while Ilkley Rugby Club added its solar system in 2024 and Ben Rhydding Hockey Club has had its system since 2018.
Derek Richards, treasurer of Ilkley Rugby Club, said the investment was driven by a “desire for a greener world and a recognition that climate is changing.” Ben Rhydding Hockey Club added an air source heat pump in 2020, and current committee members there said they were grateful for the foresight of predecessors who avoided much higher energy costs when prices later ballooned.
For clubs with long-term utility contracts and large buildings, the Ilkley example shows a straightforward operating question: how quickly can onsite generation cover the upfront spend. Here, the answer is less than six years, with the benefit then running through the rest of the panels’ expected 25-year life.
