Edgbaston Cricket Ground, a 19th-century cricket venue in England, will be upgraded to be powered entirely by renewable energy in advance of hosting five matches in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup.
The partnership between Warwickshire County Cricket Club, which plays home matches at Edgbaston, and Haven Power was announced on Tuesday with agreement from energy brokers Amber Energy. Haven Power provides 100 percent renewable energy through sustainably sourced biomass (such as burning compressed wood pellets) as well as wind and solar. The notoriously fickle English weather prevents an entirely wind and solar energy solution.
In addition to next year’s Cricket World Cup, Edgbaston will also host the opening test of the Ashes Series, a longstanding rivalry between Australia and England. Edgbaston is located in suburban Birmingham.
“We’re thrilled to secure this new partnership with Haven Power and our thanks go to Amber Energy for brokering the agreement based on the current supply rates and commercial opportunity, but also the ability of a provider to realize our sustainability ambitions,” said Gareth Roberts, commercial director at Warwickshire County Cricket Club, in a statement. “Powering the stadium through renewable energy sources forms a major part of this. Having secured the partnership, our team will work alongside Haven Power in developing a full business sustainability strategy, which can help us work towards becoming the most sustainable cricket venue in the UK.”
SportTechie Takeaway
While new venues all tout their eco-friendly designs and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certifications, even a cricket ground on the north side of 125 years can be retrofitted for sustainability. With a major intentional event next year—the Cricket World Cup—perhaps Edgbaston can serve as prototype for other older facilities to follow suit.