Footy for Climate: Ex AFL stars help football and netball club with new solar and battery system

The Portarlington Demons Football Netball Club will soon be saving $12,500 in annual power bills thanks to the installation of a new solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) made possible through Footy for Climate’s ‘Power Forward’ program.

Founded in 2021 in the wake of the 2020 Black Summer bushfires by AFL players Tom Campbell and Jasper Pittard, now both retired, Footy for Climate is a non-profit led by and for AFL players “concerned about the future of our planet and our game.”

Footy for Climate’s flagship program is ‘Power Forward’, which aims to install solar panels, battery storage systems, and sustainability solutions at over 500 clubs by 2030, delivering cumulative annual energy savings of $5 million.

This weekend, Footy for Climate will be officially launching its third Power Forward solar and BESS project at the Portarlington Demons Football Netball Club on the Bellarine Peninsula, 28 kilometres east of Geelong.

The new 47.5kW solar and 50kWh battery system, which was donated to the club in its entirety including installation costs by NSW based solar company Resinc Solar & Battery, will save the club $12,500 in annual power bills and result in a 94 per cent annual reduction in energy usage from the grid.

“Community football clubs are the heart of Australian sport,” said Tom Campbell, who called time on his 14-year, four-club career in May.

“They’re where the game we love thrives. But climate change and rising energy bills are putting pressure on local clubs across the country.  

“Through Power Forward, we’re creating a network of climate-resilient clubs that are financially better off through huge power bill savings and better able to keep their doors open and power their communities in times of extreme weather.

“Clubs with clean energy infrastructure will be in a better position to serve as useful community pillars during future extreme weather events. ” 

“The Power Forward program shows other clubs that clean energy isn’t complicated – it’s a practical investment in their future.” 

Footy for Climate’s Power Forward program completed its first solar and battery installation at the Mansfield Football and Netball Club in mid-2025. The 30 kW solar system with 40 kWh BESS has since cut the club’s energy costs by around 90 per cent. A second community solar and battery project was installed in March of this year at the Myrtleford Alpine Saints Football Netball Club.

Not only will these solar and battery systems help each of the clubs save on their annual power bills, but they will also allow the clubs to serve as community resilience hubs during power outages.

But the systems also go a long way to carving out funds to finance club improvements and growth initiatives.

“Our community and our club are expanding fast, with more and more families moving to the area,” said Adam Kiss, Portarlington Football Netball Club president.

That also means we have to try and keep up with higher energy bills. The money we’ll save thanks to this solar and battery system is money that we can spend on improving our facilities and improving participation for our newly founded Women’s team”. 

“Clubs like ours are increasingly on the frontline of climate-fuelled extreme weather like flooded ovals and violent storms. I’m proud to showcase what practical climate action looks like” 

The new solar and BESS installation at the Portarlington Football Netball Club will be officially launched during the Portarlington Seniors match this Saturday. Tom Campbell will join the local community alongside representatives from Football for Climate and RESINC to celebrate the system’s launch.