Sevens Stadium opens region's first solar car park at sporting facility

Community sports, world-class tournaments, and international teams hosted at The Sevens Stadium are now even more planet friendly, with the opening of the region’s first solar carport at a sporting facility.

Owned and managed by the Emirates Group, it was officially opened by group chairman His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum.

"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," said Sheikh Ahmed.

"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," he added.

The stadium’s other environmental initiatives include modern watering systems that utilise non-potable water, waste reduction which saw 52 per cent 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 liters 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.

The Sevens Stadium’s new solar carport's key features:

• Utilises 4,500 solar panels over an area of 10,550 sqm, to generate 3.6 GwH of clean energy in its first year
• Provides shaded parking for 555 cars, including 4 charging points for electric cars
• Reduces The Sevens Stadium’s carbon (CO2) emissions by 1,496 metric tonnes annually
• Generates sufficient electricity to power:
• Floodlighting for its 8 grass fields, 6 ovals (grass and sand), and 4 multi-purpose courts
• 1,042 lamps on all fields, pitches and courts
• 256 street lamps
• 57 water and irrigation pumps across the facility
• 2 units of 300 tonne chillers

.@HHAhmedBinSaeed, @emirates Group Chairman, inaugurates the region’s first and largest solar carport at a sporting facility, the Sevens Stadium owned and managed by the Emirates Group.https://t.co/Tc5VzHNZll pic.twitter.com/w1kmzrFNjz

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 10, 2022

.@HHAhmedBinSaeed: 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. pic.twitter.com/Sd5Pc8hDqj

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 10, 2022