Sheffield landmarks renew affordable, low-carbon heat partnership with E.ON

Three of Sheffield’s best-known sporting and live entertainment venues – home to Gladiators, Team GB athletes and the Sheffield Steelers – have renewed their partnership with E.ON for reliable, local, low-cost, low-carbon heat from the Blackburn Meadows district heating network.

The multi-year agreements cover Ice Sheffield, the English Institute of Sport Sheffield, and Utilita Arena Sheffield¹ ; venues that welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and play a vital role in supporting the city's sporting and cultural life.

Together, the venues use around 4,400 MWh of heat each year – the equivalent heat needs of more than 460 UK homes² – with Blackburn Meadows providing the heating and hot water needed to support everything from elite sports training and community activities to major live events.

Instead of relying solely on individual gas boilers, the venues use heat generated at E.ON’s Blackburn Meadows renewable energy plant.

Vijay Tank, Chief Commercial Officer for E.ON Energy Infrastructure Solutions, said: “Blackburn Meadows is a strong example of how local energy infrastructure can deliver practical benefits for a city. For many years, the plant has supplied affordable, reliable and cleaner energy to some of Sheffield’s best-known venues and businesses. These renewed agreements allow us to continue supporting those organisations and the communities they serve.

“By connecting local customers, reusing local resources and investing in the city’s energy infrastructure, we can help Sheffield build a more affordable, resilient and sustainable future, making new energy work for everyone.”

The agreements build on the important role Blackburn Meadows already plays in Sheffield as a trusted heat source. The existing eight-kilometre network supplies nine buildings across the Lower Don Valley, providing cleaner, more affordable heat and supporting the city’s shift to a smart, decentralised energy system.

The renewed agreements reflect growing confidence in district heating as a practical solution for organisations seeking lower-cost, reliable energy supplies while supporting long-term sustainability ambitions. E.ON is working with cities and businesses to make new energy work in practice: delivering practical, low-carbon energy solutions for cities and businesses to help Sheffield reduce carbon, strengthen resilience and support local businesses and communities.

Lorenzo Clark, partnership manager at Everyone Active which runs Ice Sheffield and other venues, said: “Ice Sheffield and English Institute of Sport Sheffield are major community and elite sports venues, vital to the training of national athletes and community alike.

“As a large energy consumer, being able to reduce carbon emissions across our facilities whilst relying on dependable heating and hot water are fundamental to our day-to-day operations. Reducing what we spend on energy allows us to maintain world class facilities for athletes such as Team GB boxer Teagn Stott, professional ice hockey player Liam Kirk, British Para table tennis player Fliss Pickard and badminton Paralympics GB star Jack Shephard.

"Renewing our agreement secures a consistent local heat supply with a carbon footprint less than 10% of natural gas, helping reduce the facilities' environmental impact."

Dom Stokes, General Manager of Utilita Arena Sheffield, added: “We’re delighted to be extending our agreement and continuing to benefit from a reliable, lower-carbon heat network at Utilita Arena Sheffield. As one of three venues connected to the network, we’re proud to play our part in supporting Sheffield’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions. This is a great example of how venues can lower their environmental impact while continuing to deliver for fans and artists.”