Why London eco club sums don't add up

By SmartPlanet on 24 September 2008, 5:25pm

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Claim 2: It's solar- and wind-powered
It's true the club is partly powered by renewable energy. Bar Surya has solar panels on its roof which are rated at 8 kilowatt peak (kWp is the standard measurement for solar panels). That's pretty powerful -- most solar installs on residential homes are around 2.5kWp. Surya's solar system should produce around 6400kWh of electricity a year.

The club tells me it also has two wind turbines rated at 3kW combined, but it doesn't say how much electricity they generate. Wind speed at the club's location is about 11mph at 10 metres above the ground, which is theoretically plenty to power a turbine. Without knowing more, however, it's hard to estimate how successful these turbines are.

One thing's for sure: Surya's claim that it "plans to donate surplus electricity to locals" is unintentionally misleading. The club does supply surplus electricity to private residences in the same building, but not to other local people. See update below for further clarification.

The verdict
Don't get me wrong. Bar Surya deserves to be applauded for its eco efforts, even if its claims regarding the dancefloor appear a little breathless. It also earns kudos for installing renewable power and sexing up the green movement.

Most importantly, after a slow start, the club is starting to host some good acts. Green or not, clubbers go clubbing for the music -- plus a few other reasons -- and I'd wager anyone into breakbeat will have already booked tickets for this weekend's night featuring Atomic Hooligan.

26/09/08 edit and update
Since this article was published, Bar Surya has told SmartPlanet its 60 per cent claim regarding the dancefloor was intended as a statement of ambition rather than a statement of reality now. The club also explained that when it said it was donating "surplus electricity to locals" it was referring to electricity it shares with six private residences above the club. Bar Surya does not export electricity to the national grid as this article originally and incorrectly stated. I did ask the club twice before publishing this article what it meant by its statement. Clarification, however, occured after it was published.

More on Bar Surya and ClubClimate
Friends of the Earth row
Eco nightclub video