The Imperial Wanderers Stadium goes green

The Imperial Wanderers Stadium is excited to partner with Imperial and the SolarSaver Group to bring much-needed solar power to South Africa’s most iconic multipurpose entertainment lifestyle venue through the installation of a customised 250kWp solar photovoltaic system.

The venue is one of the first stadiums in South Africa to ‘Go Green’. The partnership with Imperial and the SolarSaver Group has enabled the installation of this system at Imperial Wanderers Stadium, and will reduce grid reliance for the purposes of powering the 28 000 capacity stadium.

“This is a huge step towards reducing the stadium’s carbon footprint,” says Stadium Manager Cyril Martin. “The stadium now boasts three sources of power, namely grid, generator and solar energy, which produces enough energy to run the stadium, especially on big international match days and non-cricket events. This is in addition to the stadium’s existing world-class drainage infrastructure where all water, including rainwater, goes into a reservoir to ensure water is saved and re-used. The stadium seldom uses municipal water, if at all, and we always use borehole water for the grounds.”

The solar installation was completed by the SolarSaver Group in partnership with Imperial – the naming rights sponsor to the stadium and leading integrated market access and logistics provider. The SolarSaver Group was founded with a view to offering clients a unique solar solution that does not require any capital or financial guarantees. The SolarSaver Group runs the largest fleet of self-financed solar installations in Southern Africa.

“The SolarSaver Group portfolio includes over 200 systems operated by SolarSaver under long-term power purchase agreements and rent-to-own contracts across South Africa and Namibia,” said SolarSaver. “The installation at Imperial Wanderers Stadium forms part of the stadium’s aesthetic with the solar panels situated in and around the stadium.”

“The partnership forms part of the stadium’s long-term strategic intent to ‘Go Green’,” said Central Gauteng Lions CEO Jono Leaf-Wright. “This means helping to protect the environment and sustain its natural resources for current and future generations. As stadium management, it is imperative to utilise more environmentally and ecologically friendly practices to sustain future generations. Everything we can do as society to help our country and planet, we must.”

Leaf-Wright concludes by saying, “It is our collective responsibility as sport and business to find innovative ways to protect our planet, and we are very proud of both the partnership with Imperial and the SolarSaver Group, and being the leading stadium in the country to explore this space.”