ABOUT US

Our Team

Community Energy Preston (CEP) is led by a group of six volunteer directors who live in and around Preston. Each director brings professional expertise in areas such as engineering, low‑carbon energy, project management, policy, legal compliance and community engagement. Together they steer CEP as an independent, not‑for‑profit organisation, ensuring our projects benefit both the climate and our city.

Join the Community Energy Preston Team

Project Coordinator

12 month temporary contract, part time at £250 per day.

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Our Mission

Our mission is to deliver local power for a brighter tomorrow. We harness unused rooftop space in Preston to generate clean, community‑owned solar energy. By raising community investment, we install, own and operate solar projects and reinvest surplus profits in programmes that tackle fuel poverty and support local initiatives.

CEP aims to develop, own and/or facilitate 1MW in total of renewable energy systems by the end of 2027.
CEP gives local people the opportunity to invest in their community and earn an annual return.
CEP will create a community fund that reinvests surplus income into local projects such as energy efficiency and tackling fuel poverty.
CEP will strengthen local supply chains and support local businesses wherever possible, with a focus on advancing the shared economy model within the Preston area.
CEP aspire to grow to have a large member base, and to increase awareness of the important role of community energy within local areas.
CEP will establish a scalable and replicable delivery model for community energy in Preston, creating a pipeline of future projects that can be rapidly developed and deployed across suitable sites.

Vision & Values

Our vision is a fair, zero‑carbon energy system where local people are at the heart of the transition. CEP’s values centre on:

Community ownership and empowerment, projects are owned wholly or partly by local community members, giving residents a voice in how energy is generated and profits are spent.
Sustainability and innovation; we focus on renewable technologies such as solar PV and invest in energy efficiency measures like insulation and LED lighting.

Fairness and inclusion, we strive to reduce fuel poverty and ensure the benefits of clean energy reach everyone in Preston.
Transparency and trust: as a not‑for‑profit community benefit society, we prioritise openness in our governance and reinvest all surplus profits for community benefit.

Our Journey to Community Owned Energy in Preston

Our journey began with a simple but powerful idea: that local people could play a direct role in tackling climate change. Sparked by discussions within Climate Action Preston, Community Energy Preston was formed from a growing sense of urgency and community spirit, turning concern into action and ideas into real, local impact.

Following early discussions, Community Energy Preston was formally established as an independent, not-for-profit organisation. A small group of dedicated volunteer directors came together, bringing expertise across energy, project delivery, policy and community engagement. This founding team laid the groundwork for CEP’s model, governance and first project pipeline.

As the initiative grew, Community Energy Preston was formalised as a Community Benefit Society (CBS), providing a robust legal structure designed to serve the wider community. A board of directors was established to oversee governance, strategy and delivery, ensuring transparency, accountability and long-term sustainability.

As momentum grew, CEP began turning plans into action. Working closely with local partners, the team identified suitable rooftops, explored opportunities and carried out feasibility studies to understand what projects could be delivered. This stage was all about building strong foundations for real, local impact.

With projects taking shape, CEP have moved into preparing its community share offer, giving local people the opportunity to invest in renewable energy in Preston. This phase focuses on creating a fair, transparent investment structure that makes it easy for individuals to take part and support local change.

With investment secured, projects move into delivery, solar installations are completed and begin generating clean, local electricity. Revenue is generated through energy sales, providing returns to investors while creating a surplus that can be reinvested into community projects and future developments.

As projects grow, so does their impact. Local renewable energy capacity increases across Preston, more people become members, and the community fund expands, enabling ongoing investment into energy efficiency and supporting local initiatives for years to come.

Partners & Supporters

CEP works closely with local authorities, educational institutions and businesses to unlock Preston’s renewable energy potential. Our partners include Preston College – the site of our next 467 kWp solar installation – and organisations with large roof spaces ready to host solar panels. We also collaborate with regional net‑zero hubs, community energy networks and other supporters who share our commitment to a fair, low‑carbon future. If your organisation is interested in partnering with us, please get in touch.

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