A COMMERCIAL CASE STUDY
New community hub powers a greener future with solar and battery storage
When Barford Youth & Community Centre set out to build a brand-new facility for local residents, sustainability was never an afterthought. From the earliest design stages, the trustees wanted the building to be energy efficient, environmentally responsible and financially sustainable for the long term.
Working alongside the project’s design team and contractors, Stratford Energy Solutions installed a bespoke solar PV and battery storage system that now helps power the busy community hub while significantly reducing its electricity costs.
At a glance
| Customer | Barford Youth & Community Centre |
| Sector | Community |
| Location | Barford, Warwickshire |
| Installation Completed | August 2024 |
System installed
- 36 × SunPower Maxeon 430W solar panels
- 15.48kWp solar PV system
- SolarEdge SE9K inverter
- SolarEdge S500B optimisers
- Tesla Powerwall 2 battery with Gateway 2
Results
- 12,360kWh estimated annual solar generation
- Electricity costs reduced to less than £40 per month on average during the first full year
- More than £1,091 earned through exported electricity in the first 12 months
- Over 639kg of CO₂ emissions avoided to date
- Equivalent of 38 trees planted
The challenge
Barford Youth & Community Centre was created to serve the village and neighbouring communities with a modern, multi-purpose facility used by local groups, charities and residents.
Like the ageing building it replaced, the new centre had to operate entirely on electricity, with no gas supply available. The trustees recognised this gave the opportunity to incorporate renewable energy from the outset, reducing long-term running costs while strengthening funding applications for grants and public sector support.
The building hosts a wide variety of activities throughout the week, including:
- Scout and Explorer groups
- Children’s parties
- Health and fitness classes
- Arts and cello groups
- Weekly community café
- Charity fundraising events
- Evening celebrations and private functions
With regular daytime energy demand alongside busy evening use, the centre also needed a way to store excess daytime generation for use later in the day.
The solution
Because the building was being constructed from scratch, solar formed part of the design rather than being retrofitted later.
Stratford Energy Solutions worked alongside the quantity surveyor, M&E consultants and construction team to specify a system that would become an integral part of the building’s infrastructure.
The installation combines a 15.48kWp solar PV array with a Tesla Powerwall 2 battery, allowing excess daytime generation to be stored and used during evening activities when the centre is at its busiest.
Although the project experienced delays outside of Stratford Energy Solutions’ control while Wi-Fi infrastructure was installed to enable system commissioning and monitoring, the finished installation has delivered reliable performance ever since.
The results
Within the first full year of operation, the centre has seen exactly the kind of financial benefits it hoped for.
Between 1 June 2025 and 31 May 2026, the centre:
- Purchased £1,560.89 of electricity
- Received £1,091.06 through electricity exports
- Recorded a net electricity cost of just £469.83 for the year
By exporting surplus energy during the summer months, the centre built up credit with its energy supplier that helped offset electricity costs throughout the winter.
The Tesla Powerwall has also proved invaluable, storing excess solar generation for use during the centre’s busiest evening periods when Scout groups, community organisations and private events are taking place.
The centre’s trustees regularly use the Tesla monitoring app to track performance, identify unusual energy usage and monitor savings, giving them greater visibility and control over the building’s energy consumption.
Most importantly, every pound saved on electricity can now be reinvested into maintaining the building and supporting activities for the local community.
Customer testimonial
“As part of our project to build a new Youth & Community Centre for use by local people in Barford and the neighbouring villages, it was always important that we had an energy system which was efficient, environmentally friendly, economical and long-lasting, so it was our plan from the start to have a solar energy system.
It was also important that the system allowed storage of excess energy generated by the PV panels so it could be used when power demand was greater than the panels were generating. We wanted to use local suppliers wherever possible, so Stratford Energy Solutions were an ideal choice.
They worked closely with our project team to specify a system that became an integral part of the new building from the outset. We’ve only needed support on a handful of occasions since installation, and the team have always responded quickly and resolved any issues. Their ability to monitor the system remotely is a real benefit. We believe Stratford Energy Solutions were an excellent choice, and we’d be happy to recommend them to anyone undertaking a similar community venue project.”
Ian Paterson, Chairman, Barford Youth & Community Centre
Why this project matters
This project demonstrates how renewable energy can deliver much more than lower electricity bills.
For community organisations, every saving made on energy can be redirected into improving facilities, supporting local activities and ensuring long-term financial sustainability.
It also highlights the opportunity for organisations occupying their own buildings. Whether community centres, schools, charities, sports clubs, healthcare providers or commercial premises, to future-proof their operations through solar generation and battery storage.
By integrating renewable energy into the building from day one, Barford Youth & Community Centre has created a modern, resilient facility that will continue serving its community while keeping energy costs under control for many years to come.
Photography & Videography by Chin Badger Media.
