“On me ’ead, sun” could be the cry at York’s new community stadium – after the city’s energy champion called for it to be solar-powered.

Coun Christian Vassie wants York to follow the lead of Freiburg in Germany, where the local stadium has a solar power station in the roof.

He said: “Supporters and the community there own shares in the resulting power company, which generates quarter of a million kilowatt hours of energy a year. It could bring further meaning to the phrase ‘community stadium’.”

Coun Vassie, City of York Council’s executive member for leisure and culture issues, said supporters of York City Football Club and York City Knights rugby league club could hold a stake in the power company, giving them more involvement in their teams’ stadium.

He said organisations such as regional development agencies were on the look out for innovative and exciting projects, and said bringing the UK its first solar-powered community stadium could be “exactly what funding bodies are looking for”. Tim Atkins, the council’s project manager for the community stadium, said: “The council is committed to incorporating sustainable features into new developments.

“However, we are still at a very early stage of the process and are currently preparing a business case for the community stadium so it is too early to enter into discussions about the detail and potential location of the project.”

Sophie Hicks, York City FC’s communications and community director, said: “Like City of York Council, York City Football Club is committed to sustainability.

“However, we are in the early stages of the project and there will be a limited budget, so all elements will need to be costed and prioritised.

We are certainly keen to see innovation of this kind.” The Badenova Stadion in Freiburg incorporates a wide range of energy-efficient features, including a grass-heating system run on natural gas.

A spokesman for the football club, SC Freiburg, said: “There is continued interest in our stadium’s energy supply. Even I’m surprised sometimes.”

Stirling engines on the West Stand heat the grass, by periodically heating and cooling an enclosed mass of gas. The changes in pressure are converted into mechanical work by pistons, and the energy converted into electricity. Each third of the pitch is heated separately, so excess energy is not used when only part of the pitch needs to be heated.

Solar panels are installed on all four stand roofs, with 2,200 square metres, which have already generated more than two million kilowatt hours of electricity.

The club also uses wood chippings for heating and hot water, while geothermal energy is used for the air conditioning system.

Club technician Stefan Spohn said: “We utilise all environmentally friendly options.”