The company has partnered with renewable energy solutions provider Two Blues Solar and installer Nuvolt to deploy solar across the venues.
The rollout started in January, with installation teams working across multiple sites to complete 10 systems per month. Each installation takes two to three weeks and it is expected that this initial rollout of 120 pubs will be completed by Q2 2026.
The £5.4m initiative, fully financed by Atrato Onsite Energy, operates through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) – a long-term contract in which Marston’s will purchase 100% of the renewable energy generated on its roofs rather than owning the solar equipment.
Sustainability strategy
Marston’s said it guarantees the certainty of energy prices for 25 years, protecting it from market volatility, whilst delivering immediate cost savings for the pub group.
The project will also contribute to Marston’s sustainability strategy and 2040 Net Zero targets, as each installation is expected to generate approximately 30,000 kWh of electricity annually, meeting c.15-20% of an individual pub’s energy demand.
The rollout will reduce Marston’s carbon emissions by 600 tonnes in the first year, equivalent to removing 430 cars from the road.
Transition to renewable energy
“As the UK’s leading local pub company, we are committed to reducing our impact on the environment, as we work towards a greener future for our guests, our people and the communities we serve,” said Marston’s director of investment Andy Kershaw.
“Through this partnership, we can now significantly accelerate the rollout of solar across our community-based pub estate without diverting capital from our core operations, which will help our pubs make the transition to renewable energy while reducing our total emissions and reliance on fossil fuels.”
Two Blue Solars co-founder Daniel Levene added: “This is the first multi-site PPA rollout of its kind for a large pub chain in the UK.
“Many traditional PPA providers shy away from clients with fragmented estates due to administrative complexity.
“Our standardised framework simplifies deployment across hundreds of sites, offering Marston’s a single, predictable energy rate for 25 years—insulating them from market swings while removing upfront costs.”
