We’ve acquired the development rights for our biggest project to date

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19 Dec 2024

We’ve acquired the development rights for our biggest project to date – a 57MW onshore wind farm in Scotland

From funding some of the UK’s first onshore wind farms in the early 1990s to a new 14-turbine site, we’re harnessing the country’s abundant wind resource to deliver clean power to homes and businesses.

Article written by anna.cooper

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Scotland has some of the best wind resource in the world, which is why we’re thrilled to have acquired the rights to build the 57MW Whitelaw Brae wind farm in the Scottish Borders.

As well as being our largest project to date, the deal marks another major step in our ambitious growth plans to double generation capacity within the next five years. It is the second project to be funded by Fair Play Clean Energy Ltd, Thrive’s Joint Venture with TopCashback Sustainability, which brings together a combined £80 million in capital to fund new clean energy projects in the UK.

Construction of the proposed 14-turbine site is expected to start in 2025, with commissioning planned by the end of 2026. Once operational, it will be capable of generating up to 149,400 MWh of clean electricity per year, the equivalent of powering 46,100 average UK homes[1], and delivering 65,300 tonnes of emissions reductions[2].

The Whitelaw Brae wind project was originally owned by developer, BayWa r.e., with Thrive acquiring the project in December 2024 following the successful completion of a competitive tender in October 2024.

Thrive has a record of delivering community and shared ownership, both at our own sites and by providing funding for community-owned energy projects. Now, we’ve acquired Whitelaw Brae, we aim to facilitate shared ownership at this site with Ripple Energy’s latest coop.

“Scotland is one of the best places in the world for onshore wind, so we’re really pleased to have acquired this project and are working hard to move it through to the construction stage. Whitelaw Brae will be our largest project to date and comes as Thrive celebrates 30 years of funding and building clean energy projects here in the UK. We look forward to getting the wind farm operational so that it can start delivering cheaper, cleaner power for homes and businesses, with the ambition to offer the wider community an opportunity to own a stake in the project too.”

Monika Paplaczyk, Investment Director, Thrive Renewables

“We are pleased to announce the successful sale of our Whitelaw Brae Wind Farm to Thrive Renewables. This transaction represents the continued development of quality renewable energy assets in Scotland, a key market in supporting the UK government’s net zero ambitions. We look forward to seeing the project progress and help accelerate the energy transition.”

John Milligan, Managing Director, BayWa r.e. UK

The wind farm site is located 15 km north of Moffat and 3 km south of Tweedsmuir. It is also near the River Tweed which, as part of the £25 million Destination Tweed initiative, will see the creation of a 113-mile source to sea River Tweed Trail connecting communities and attractions along the length of the river from Moffat to Berwick-upon-Tweed. The project aims to improve the landscape and river habitat and offer a unique experience to locals and visitors alike, expected to be completed across five years.

[1] Based on an annual generation of 149GWh and calculated using the most recent statistics from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) showing that UK average domestic household consumption is 3,239kWh per annum https://www.renewableuk.com/energypulse/ukwed/

[1] Calculated using DESNZ’s “all non-renewable fuels” emissions statistic of 437 tonnes of carbon dioxide per GWh of electricity supplied in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics (July 2024) https://www.renewableuk.com/energypulse/ukwed/