A Hong Kong course has become the world’s first golf venue to use solar technology to power its entire golf cart fleet.

The Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau course has fitted SolarDrive solar cell roof panels to its fleet of 205 Club Car vehicles. Danish company SolarDrive’s technology means the carts can capture and convert daylight into sufficient energy to power golf carts year-round, even on cloudy days. SolarDrive reckons the course will reduce carbon emissions by up to 30 tonnes per year as a result. The initiative comes a few months after the course received official recognition for its environmental programme in the prestigious Asian Golf Course Environment Award.

The solar panel roofs can of being retrofitted to any make of electric golf cart, resulting in extended battery life and reduced consumption of mains electricity. The company reckons the extended battery life alone will save the course approximately HK$387,500 (US$50,000) across the fleet.

SolarDrive founder Peter Randow said: “We really are very honoured to have had the opportunity to assist Kau Sai Chau in its pioneering efforts to raise environmental standards in golf course management.

Course general manager Cameron Halliday added: “Our partnership with SolarDrive during its design evolution has resulted in a product that will enable us to further cut our carbon emissions, reflecting our ongoing commitment to implement new and innovative solutions that will help make our golf course as environmentally friendly as possible.”