Golf Club Turns Parking Lot Into Solar Energy Hub

A golf club in Åkersberga, Sweden just proved that parking lots can do way more than hold cars.

Åkersberga Golf Club partnered with Smartports to convert an existing parking area into a clean energy hub. The redesigned space will feature 12 parking spots covered with solar panels, 12 electric vehicle charging stations, and battery storage systems that work together as one smart grid.

The setup generates solar power, stores it in batteries, and uses it to charge electric vehicles right on site. Golfers get weather protection from sun, rain, and snow while their cars charge. No additional land needed, no trees cut down, just smarter use of space already sitting there.

"With this solution, we can combine EV charging and weather-protected parking with local renewable energy generation," said Peter Wissinger, CEO of Åkersberga Golf Club. The club wanted to create a modern facility for members and guests while reducing its environmental footprint.

The project tackles two major challenges at once. It makes clean energy accessible where people already park, and it demonstrates how existing infrastructure can be upgraded instead of built from scratch.

The Ripple Effect

This partnership could spark a revolution in how we think about parking spaces. Across Sweden and beyond, thousands of parking lots sit idle, soaking up sun that could power communities.

Johan Gren, COO of Smartports Sweden, sees enormous potential. "Parking areas have significant potential to become an important part of the energy system of the future," he explained. "Together with Åkersberga Golf Club, we are creating a local energy hub where solar power, battery storage and EV charging work together in one place."

The model works anywhere with parking and sunshine. Shopping centers, office buildings, schools, and sports facilities could follow the same blueprint. Each conversion adds renewable energy to the grid and charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.

The golf club gets cleaner operations, members get convenient charging, and the community gets a working example of practical climate action that doesn't require sacrifice or major lifestyle changes.

Small spaces can make big differences when we reimagine what they're capable of becoming.