Argentine football club inaugurates 120 kW solar system

Football team Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield has commissioned a solar photovoltaic plant installed on the rooftop of the José Amalfitani Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The 120 kW system, developed by Argentine solar company Coral Energía, features 210 bifacial solar panels from Trina Solar, covering an area of 1,250 square meters on the stadium rooftop.

The plant operates at 380 V and includes a smart inverter that automates energy management and reduces maintenance requirements. It is expected to generate approximately 180 MWh annually, equivalent to between 15-20% of the electricity consumption of both the stadium and the club’s headquarters.

According to the club, the system will reduce the sports complex’s daily energy consumption by 20-25%. In addition to hosting football matches, the complex accommodates educational, athletic and commercial activities.

The solar system has been cleared to operate under Argentina’s distributed generation framework after approval under Argentina’s Law 27,424 on Distributed Generation, which regulates the user-generator model. This will allow Vélez to consume part of the electricity it produces and feed surplus power into the grid belonging to local power distributor Edesur, receiving financial compensation for the energy supplied to the system.

The initiative was implemented through an agreement with Coral Energía and Argentine business group Grupo Corven. It required an investment of nearly $200,000, with financing structured through a sponsorship and advertising exchange agreement, allowing the club to avoid direct cash expenditure.

During the inauguration ceremony, club president Fabián Berlanga said that the institution is considering extending the initiative to Vélez’s Olympic Village training complex. Club officials also highlighted the project as a model that could be replicated by other Argentine sports organizations.