Solar PV and a Hydrogen-ready CHP engine at Deepdale, funded by Saber under a 15-year PPA with zero capital outlay, now generate around 80% of the club’s annual electricity.
| At a glance | Preston North End FC |
|---|---|
| Sector | Sport and leisure |
| Technology | Solar PV and Hydrogen-ready CHP |
| Capacity | 120 kW Solar PV, 180 kW CHP |
| Generation | About 1,208,532 kWh a year, around 80% of site demand |
| Term | 15-year Power Purchase Agreement |
| Funding | 100% Saber funded, zero capital outlay |
| Delivery partners | MJ Quinn (Solar PV), 2G Energy (CHP) |
| Status | Operational since June 2026 |
The challenge
Deepdale has been home to football for more than 150 years. As one of the world’s oldest professional grounds, it has to balance heritage with modern infrastructure, and energy is part of that.
Facing rising energy costs and an ageing diesel backup generator that no longer met league requirements, Preston North End needed energy infrastructure that would serve the stadium for the long term, without taking capital away from the club’s priorities.
The solution
Saber designed a blended on-site system for Deepdale, combining Solar PV with a Hydrogen-ready CHP engine, and delivered it under a single 15-year Power Purchase Agreement at no capital cost to the club.
The CHP engine generates around the clock, complementing daytime Solar PV, and is specified to transition to hydrogen as supply becomes available. It also replaces the diesel generator entirely, removing ageing infrastructure that no longer met the club’s resilience needs.
The installation
MJ Quinn, Saber’s EPC partner, began the Solar PV installation in January 2026, and 2G Energy’s Hydrogen-ready CHP engine followed in February. Both systems were commissioned in the spring, and the full blend has run together since June 2026.
The results
Together, the two systems generate about 1,208,532 kWh a year, around 80% of the club’s annual consumption of 1,540,587 kWh. Saber estimates the saving at £84,000 in year one, rising to £1.56m across the 15-year term.
Preston North End carries no maintenance responsibility for the term of the agreement. A second phase, folding works such as re-roofing into the same agreement, is already under discussion.
The commercial point
A blended Solar PV and Hydrogen-ready CHP system now covers around 80% of Deepdale’s electricity from on-site generation, worth an estimated £1.56m over the term, with no capital outlay and both systems running within months of installation starting.
