The region’s first and largest solar carport at a sporting facility is now opened at The Sevens Stadium, the Emirates Group, the owner and manager of the stadium, has said.
In a statement, Emirates Groups said that the solar carport was officially launched by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of the Group. It will provide shaded carparking for more than 550 vehicles, including four charging slots for electric vehicles.
Furthermore, the facility will generate sufficient clean energy to power all of the Stadium’s operations throughout the year, except during the week of the Dubai Rugby 7s, where supplementary power will be required for the city’s biggest sporting and lifestyle event.
Sheikh Ahmed said: “The Emirates Group already utilises solar-powered clean energy in our operations, including buildings at our Engineering Centre and Emirates Flight Catering. This new solar carport at the Sevens Stadium is our latest commitment to reducing our carbon footprint, in line with Dubai’s vision to transform into a carbon neutral economy by 2050.
The carport reduces The Sevens Stadium’s carbon (CO2) emissions by 1,496 metric tonnes annually, generates sufficient electricity to power floodlighting for its eight grass fields, six ovals (grass and sand), and four multi-purpose courts, 1,042 lamps on all fields, pitches and courts, 256 streetlamps, 57 water and irrigation pumps across the facility, 2 units of 300 tonne chillers, the Grandstand building, players clubhouse, and staff accommodation.
It utilises 4,500 solar panels over an area of 10,550 sqm and generated 3.6 GwH of clean energy in its first year.
“The Sevens Stadium has established itself at the heart of community sports in Dubai, and as a best-in-class choice for international events and teams looking for world-class facilities in the region. We’ll continue to develop The Sevens to meet the needs and expectations of the sporting communities and contribute to Dubai’s vibrant sports scene,” Sheikh Ahmed said.
The Sevens Stadium hosts an active calendar of community sports which sees over 10,000 people per week during the winter months alone enjoying cricket, football, rugby, netball, and other sports at its various courts, fields and pitches. During the Covid-19 pandemic as sport struggled around the world, The Sevens Stadium safely and successfully hosted international teams and events such as Olympic preparation training and matches, two editions of the Emirates Dubai 7s tournaments in 2021, and most recently, the Rugby World Cup Qualification Tournament.
When the UAE recently hosted the IPL and T20 Cricket World Cup, The Sevens Stadium also played host to a number of the leading cricket teams and countries.
Other environmental initiatives include modern watering systems that utilise non-potable water, waste reduction which saw 52% of waste generated at the 2021 Emirates Dubai 7s diverted from landfill through recycling, and the use of biodiesel to power events.
At the 2021 Emirates Dubai Sevens, nearly 30,000 litres of biodiesel was used to power activity and amenities including the World Rugby Broadcast, registration and referee tents, changing rooms, the HSBC lounges and ATMs in the village, and the lights and x-ray machines at the main entrance.
