A Systematic Review of Utilization of Renewable Energy Sources in Sports Facilities

Many environmental and energy concerns exist, including air pollution and shortages of fossil fuels, and these concerns have motivated much research. Communities are seeking alternative fuels and nations are trying to implement them appropriately. The main alternative is renewable energy, including solar, geothermal, and wind. This systematic review analyzed 39 studies (2010-2024) on renewable energy applications in sports facilities, revealing distinct adoption patterns: solar energy dominated the research (64% of studies), followed by hybrid systems (23%), geothermal (8%), and wind (5%). Our PRISMA-guided analysis shows these renewable sources can be effectively used in sports facilities, especially new ones. Key findings indicate that solar applications achieve average energy savings of 39.1% (34.6-43.6% CI) in studied facilities, while geothermal systems show higher savings at 51.3% (45.8-56.8% CI). The primary emphasis in implementation is placed on solar and hybrid applications at sports stadiums (72% of cases), but geothermal and wind power are rarely employed (15% combined), which can be explained through geographical factors and higher initial costs (average $2.8M vs $1.2M for solar installations). Since these technologies have been advancing over the last few years, their application in sports stadiums and high-energy sports arenas will likely increase. Our review found that facilities adopting renewable energy reduced operational costs by 28-47% annually. Equipping new sport facilities with renewable energies typically makes them more environmentally benign, with demonstrated CO₂ reductions averaging 1,287 tons/year per facility. An important aspect is increased energy efficiency, with hybrid systems showing 47.2% (42.1-52.3% CI) improvement over conventional systems. The integration of renewable energy systems into sports facilities leads to considerable cost savings in the long term (average payback period 6.2 years), demonstrates commitment to environmental stewardship, and aligns facilities with sustainable development principles.