Work could start at the flagship site of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics - now the home of Premier League football team West Ham United - later this year.

Budget documents from the London Legacy Development Corporation revealed that the project could cost £4 million ($4.7 million/€4.5 million) over the first two years, but it is hoped it will pay for itself after five years.

Energy could be generated by the end of 2024, with the construction described as as "solar membrane".

A total of three million kilowatts of power could be produced each year.

A feasibility study into the project will now take place, paid for by London's City Hall.

"The provision of energy through solar or similar technology has been explored previously but was not possible with the technology available at the time," a London Stadium spokeswoman told the Evening Standard. 

"Recent developments suggest that the previous barriers - which included the weight loading required upon the roof - may now be addressable.

"The purpose of the feasibility study is to explore this and quantify the cost and benefits achievable. 

"The outcome of this will determine how self-sufficient the stadium could become in the future."

A contract for the project has been put out for tender, describing a "fantastic opportunity to showcase cutting edge technology".

The idea has won praise from London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who wants to make the city carbon zero by 2030.

Brentford, another London Premier League club, have already installed solar panels as part of its new stadium. 

"It's great to see such an iconic building, the scene for so much national pride, leading us into our greener future," said Stuart Dossett, a senior policy advisor at the Green Alliance think tank.

"Solar can be built quickly to produce cheap and clean energy to power our buildings. 

"The sooner we expand the use of renewables, the sooner we can slash bills and carbon emissions."