A SolarEdge 130kWp rooftop solar-plus-storage system is forecast to produce around 130.86MWh of renewable energy each year, reducing Redbourn Leisure Centre in Hertfordshire’s electricity costs by 61% and saving more than £19,000 annually.
The project received part funding from The Energy Resilience Fund, a coalition of UK social investment organisations, which contributed 40% of the capital. A key factor in securing this support was the centre’s projected 19-tonne annual reduction in carbon emissions, demonstrating a strong commitment to long-term environmental sustainability alongside financial resilience.
At the core of the system is SolarEdge’s energy management platform that optimises solar generation, on-site consumption and battery storage. This smart technology was essential in a region with strict electricity import-export limits, enabling the leisure centre to maximise the use of its self-generated power while remaining fully compliant with grid regulations.
“We are delighted to deliver this project on behalf of Redbourn leisure centre,” says William Palmer, Commercial Director of BeBa Energy, which designed and installed the system. “The aim was simple: design a solar setup that gets the absolute most out of every bit of sunshine. This involved using innovative technology to tackle site-specific challenges, while making sure everything operates safely within strict grid export limits – an issue that, if not carefully managed, could lead to significant issues with the DNO.”
SolarEdge solutions
The solar array features 278 bifacial panels, SolarEdge Power Optimizers and a 90kW SolarEdge DC-optimised inverter. Bifacial panels boost energy production by generating power from both sides. However, shading on the underside of the array, caused by its close proximity to the roof, can reduce their performance. Power Optimizers overcome this issue by allowing each panel pair to operate independently. This means that if the performance of one or more panels drops, the rest continue to produce at full capacity.
The system also overcomes the challenge of the leisure centre’s split north–south roof. Traditional non-optimised inverter systems require all panels in a string to share the same orientation and pitch, which would have meant installing two separate inverters – one per roof side – adding cost and complexity. With Power Optimizers, strings of differently oriented panels can feed a single inverter, simplifying installation, reducing costs, and creating a more efficient and adaptable solar system.
Excess energy is stored in a SolarEdge CSS OD 104kWh battery, enabling the leisure centre to continue to run on solar power during the evening. The entire system is coordinated by SolarEdge ONE for C&I, an AI-powered platform that optimises solar generation, battery storage and grid import/export. Since commissioning, around 90% of the solar energy produced has been consumed on-site, with just the remaining 10% exported to the grid, safely within the region’s strict grid export limits.
“This project demonstrates how smart solar technology can deliver maximum energy production, even on challenging rooftops,” says William Palmer. “Once the new sports hall is built, the Redbourn Recreation Centre & Playing Fields Trust plans to install a similar solar-plus-storage system, generating even more cost savings and long-term benefits for the local community.”
Learn more: www.solaredge.com/uk
