K2 Crawley solar carport cuts carbon and costs in first year

One year on from the solar carport installation at K2 Crawley, the results speak for themselves:

• 1,002 solar panels installed
• 421,151 kWh of renewable electricity generated
• 72 tonnes of CO₂ emissions avoided
• £82,717 estimated electricity cost savings
• 32.5% reduction in grid electricity consumption
• 162 parking spaces covered by solar canopies

Crawley Borough Council has announced the successful first-year results of the innovative solar carport installation at K2 Crawley Leisure Centre, demonstrating significant reductions in carbon emissions, lower energy costs and a decreased reliance on the national grid.

K2 Crawley is one of the borough's highest energy-consuming facilities, welcoming more than 1.5 million visitors annually. The centre includes an Olympic-sized swimming pool, learner and leisure pools, a 150-plus station gym, sports halls, squash courts, football pitches and accessible changing facilities.

The project was made possible through the allocation of £707,000 from a Sport England Swimming Pool Support Fund grant, supplemented by £250,000 of investment from Crawley Borough Council. It was delivered in partnership with facility operator Everyone Active, principal contractor Leisure Energy and solar installer RenEnergy, transforming the car park into one of the UK's largest solar-powered leisure facility installations across six purpose-built carport canopies.

The project has also received industry recognition, being Highly Commended at the 2025 Energy Management Awards.

Councillor Nick Hilton, Cabinet member for Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change at Crawley Borough Council, said: "The first-year results from the K2 Crawley solar carport project are extremely encouraging and demonstrate how investment in renewable energy can deliver real benefits for our residents, our facilities and the environment. This project is a great example of how we are taking practical action to help achieve our net zero goals."

Peggy Lee, Group Sustainability Manager for Everyone Active, said: "At Everyone Active, we're committed to reducing the environmental impact of our leisure centres while continuing to provide outstanding facilities for our communities. The success of the K2 Crawley solar carport project demonstrates what can be achieved through strong partnerships to support our local authority partners to accelerate implementation of green and innovative technologies."

Mike Worsnop, Acting Managing Director for Leisure Energy, said: "The results from the first year of operation of the solar carports at K2 Crawley demonstrate that this type of well-designed renewable infrastructure can deliver excellent financial savings to a leisure facility, exceeding expectations in its first year. We're proud to have partnered with Crawley Borough Council and Everyone Active on a project that is delivering measurable environmental and financial benefits."

Photo image rights: RenEnergy.