Stenhousemuir FC: Club earn Community Choices funding for 'Net Zero Ochilview' energy plan

The plan will see a phased introduction of solar and wind technologies, supported with a battery storage system. The long term aim would be for the club to not just become energy self-sufficient, but to generate more than they require with the surplus energy being redeployed into community use.

Speaking exclusively to the Falkirk Herald, Stenhousemuir chairman Iain McMenemy revealed earlier this month that the Warriors have already paid out energy bills equivalent to a full year’s worth of energy in just the six months of their current financial year. This puts the Warriors on track to spend more than double their normal spend on energy.

“This project might sound ambitious to some, but we believe it is essential for club’s like us to work harder on reducing our energy costs,” McMenemy said. “If there is anything positive to come out of the current energy crisis, then it’s perhaps that it has really focused us on thinking more about energy use and more importantly, energy reduction.”

Blair Cremin, head of charity at Stenhousemuir called the grant award a first step in helping reduce the carbon footprint of the ground, and of the local FK5 area.

"The grant will go towards installing solar panels at the ground and reducing the carbon footprint of the area,” he said. “We would like to thank everyone for voting for us.

“We are very grateful to our members, fans and wider community for voting for our project.

" We are incredibly fortunate to have such an amazing and supportive community of people within and around our club.

“This grant will help us take the first step in making Ochilview a hub for sustainable energy and in turn, reducing the overall carbon footprint of the FK5 area.

“As a charity and as a football club, we are committed to our local community and continue to look for ways in which we can improve our corner of Falkirk.”