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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<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a>, and delivering 65,300 tonnes of emissions reductions<a href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2">[2]</a>.
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&#8217;s latest coop.

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.  
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[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 <a id="menur1gr" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" title="https://www.renewableuk.com/energypulse/ukwed/" href="https://www.renewableuk.com/energypulse/ukwed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Link https://www.renewableuk.com/energypulse/ukwed/">https://www.renewableuk.com/energypulse/ukwed/</a>
[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) <a id="menur1gt" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" title="https://www.renewableuk.com/energypulse/ukwed/" href="https://www.renewableuk.com/energypulse/ukwed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Link https://www.renewableuk.com/energypulse/ukwed/">https://www.renewableuk.com/energypulse/ukwed/</a>

thrive-renewables-7

Thrive Renewables

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.

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

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As some of the biggest emitters in the UK, this is certainly the case for businesses. In fact, according to a report from Sky and WWF, companies are responsible for two-thirds of the UK’s domestic land-based emissions every year, with large businesses accounting for the largest proportion of these. It suggests that, unless all large businesses in the UK draw up and implement plans to decarbonise in line with the 1.5C trajectory within the next two years, we risk missing our long-term net zero targets.
Of course, some businesses will have more work to do than others but it’s important to remember that being environmentally and socially conscious is a continuous journey and, importantly, one that your customers, shareholders and employees will thank you for embarking on. Below we explore some of our green new year’s resolutions for companies looking to prioritise sustainability in 2022.
<h3>1. Develop a net zero strategy</h3>
For all of us, the race to zero is now unavoidable. In fact, in the words of Mark Carney: “Firms that adjust their business models to the transition to net zero will be rewarded handsomely. Those that fail to adapt will cease to exist.”
When making any net zero commitments, businesses must first evaluate the different kinds of carbon emissions they create as part of their own operations, as well as the wider supply chain. Without collecting adequate data, you will be unable to set realistic targets or track your progress in meeting them.
For example, we calculated that – in 2020 – our direct carbon emissions (scopes 1 and 2) was 2.6 tonnes, compared to the average UK citizen which has a carbon footprint of 10.4 tonnes of carbon emissions per year. While this is already low, we are now working to calculate our indirect emissions (scope 3) coming from the construction and operation of our renewable energy projects. Once this is calculated, we will be reviewing our overall figures again to ensure we are taking the reduction and offset measures required to be net zero by 2030.
For many businesses, making changes under scope 1 and 2 is the easiest way to start reducing emissions and there are many resources available to support you with this, including the <a href="https://unfccc.int/climate-action/race-to-zero-campaign">United Nations&#8217; Race to Zero campaign.</a>
<h3>2. Join the B Corp community</h3>
B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and corporate accountability to balance profit and purpose. Alongside establishing yourself as a true leader in your market, there are multiple benefits to certification: committed and motivated employees, increased customer loyalty and higher levels of innovation.
As one of the UK’s first mission driven businesses, Thrive was founded 26 years ago to help power the UK’s transition to clean energy, with the ultimate aim of reducing carbon dioxide pollution to avoid dangerous climate change. We’re proud to say that we certified as a B Corp at the start of 2021 and haven’t looked back since. You can find out more information about the movement and how to start the certification process <a href="https://bcorporation.uk/">here</a>.
<h3>3. Switch to 100% renewable energy or host an on-site renewable project </h3>
Switching to 100% renewable energy can go a long way in helping you reach your net zero targets, as well as provide significant bottom line and reputational benefits.
While there are many renewable energy suppliers in the UK you could engage with, it’s worth noting that you could also benefit from renewable power generated directly on-site. Hosting your own renewable project – for example, a wind turbine or rooftop solar array – can help you manage your energy costs in an increasingly volatile marketplace.
As seen recently, fossil fuels are often subject to extreme changes in supply and demand. Using renewable sources of electricity is therefore a way to provide the stability needed, giving you the opportunity to secure long-term, consistent energy prices which are typically cheaper than connecting to the grid.
<h3>4. Improve your energy efficiency</h3>
Using energy wisely is another way to cut your carbon footprint. There are plenty of things you can introduce in the workplace to ensure you consume energy more smartly. For example, switching your lights to LEDs and ensuring you turn your technology off at the end of the day. Although they sound small, these changes are all important steps in reducing your total emissions.
<h3>5. Offer staff green incentives</h3>
When it comes to ensuring your green initiatives are followed, it’s critical that you engage your workforce as early in the process as possible. They need to understand what is expected of them and why it’s important – not only in the context of the business but as part of a wider sustainable society.
You can further motivate your employees by incentivising green alternatives. For example, we offer a bike to work scheme and are also signed up to Climate Perks – a scheme that enables us to offer paid &#8216;journey days&#8217; to empower staff to choose low-carbon holiday travel.
Businesses are now facing increasing pressure from consumers, investors and employees to look beyond profit and recognise the power of purpose. And, while it’s really positive to see the number of UK companies making sustainability a priority, there’s always more that can be done. True sustainability is a journey, not a destination.

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caton winter 2

Looking to become more sustainable in 2022? Here’s some of our top tips to help further reduce your business’ impact in the next 12 months and beyond.

New year, same planet: Our green resolutions for conscious businesses

It was great to see first-hand the impressive work that goes into constructing a rooftop solar array, with small-scale decentralised energy generation such as this forming a key part of the UK’s net zero journey.
There is a strong business case for on-site renewables – not only does it help get more renewable capacity built in the UK, but the host company will benefit directly from the clean electricity it produces.
At this particular site, the rooftop solar PV panels will be used to generate around one third of the company’s total electricity needs with any surplus exported to the local electricity grid, reducing losses.

While this particular project takes its power from the sun, other businesses could also look at technologies such as onshore wind and battery storage or co-locating a mix of different technologies. As we’ve seen with the recent gas crisis in Europe, fossil fuel prices can be extremely volatile. Developing an on-site wind turbine, for example, can help businesses to better manage their energy costs at the same time as improving their environmental footprint.
What makes a premises suitable? As you’ll see from the images, a large rooftop for solar PV is advantageous but all you really need is access to good levels of natural resource. For example, a location with abundant wind.

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IMG_2813

We joined the team from Olympus Power as they completed construction of an on-site solar PV project for a manufacturing company in Birmingham. 

On top of a 1MW solar PV project

Space heating currently represents around one third of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions, with 45% of the UK’s energy consumption a result of making our buildings warmer<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a>.
Following the successful repayment of the 2019 bond, we have now invested a further £350,000 into Renewable Heat Holdings Limited (RHHL) so that the company can continue to reduce natural gas usage in care homes and additionally install ground source heat pumps in new build domestic properties.
Ground source heat pumps significantly reduce our reliance on burning fossil fuels by using underground pipes to extract natural heat from the ground to heat radiators, underfloor or air systems and water. The Government’s recently announced Heat and Buildings strategy sets out an ambition for 600,000 devices to be installed each year by 2028 in replace of gas boilers.

Established in 2018, RHHL owns and operates over 70 projects with a combined capacity of 11.55MW, generating more than 17,000MWh of renewable heat per year for new-build retirement homes.
Thrive’s investment forms part of a new £3 million seven-year bond, promoted by Triodos Bank UK Ltd, which will provide the working capital to grow the design and installation business of Rendesco Limited, a sister company, by expanding its team and infrastructure. The company’s growth efforts follow the announcement of the Future Homes Standard – planned to come into effect in 2025 to ensure that new homes in England are built with low-carbon heating systems and high levels of efficiency.
In addition to contributing to the UK’s net zero goals, it could also provide a number of green jobs across the UK. Rendesco Limited expects to generate over 50 new jobs to deliver the planned growth.

<a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">[1]</a> Uncomfortable Home Truths: why Britain urgently needs a low carbon heat strategy, Policy Connect

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We’ve committed to a new stage of investment in Rendesco, a company which designs, installs and maintains ground source heat pumps.

New renewable heat investment for warm and cosy homes

Arriving for the three-day exhibition at the NEC, it was brilliant to feel the buzz of live events again and see so many like-minded businesses together in the same room, sharing their insights and celebrating some of the technologies at the forefront of the clean energy transition.
Alongside the exhibition stands, Solar &amp; Storage Live had a full agenda of talks in one of its three on-site theatres. We were pleased to host a discussion on ESG &amp; responsible finance in the Commercial and Industrial theatre, with our MD Matthew Clayton as the moderator and joined by Thrive’s Investment Director, Monika Paplaczyk, as well as Chloe Hood, Project Developer and Community Liaison Manager at Aura Power, and Simon Nicholls, Managing Director of Olympus Power.
We discussed the different funding models available to developers when building new solar and storage projects in the UK, and how we have worked with both Aura and Olympus to add new capacity to the grid over the last 18 months.
Thanks to everyone that came and saw us at our stand or attended our panel session on responsible finance. We hope to see you again next year!

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Stand 1

We joined the 150+ exhibitors from across the solar, storage & EV industries to showcase how we’re helping to power a clean energy system.

Celebrating clean energy at Solar & Storage Live

The battery will provide important flexibility to the UK energy system, as the country looks at how it can scale up renewable deployment in the wake of COP26. Helping to balance the variability that comes from natural sources such as wind and solar, the battery is charged when clean energy is abundant and exports it back to the grid during peak times.
Battery projects such as Wicken will play a supporting role in the UK’s efforts to decarbonise the electricity system by 2035, while we are also invested in a 20MW project at Feeder Road in Bristol – which is expected to commence operations in 2022.

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Wicken

Wicken is now fully operational and providing much needed flexibility to the grid as we work towards a zero-carbon future.

First battery storage project commissioned

With the support of Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE), we have now awarded over £29,000 in grants to local communities, helping them to make shared buildings more accessible through energy efficiency and sustainability improvements.
As part of the process, applicants completed a full energy survey of the building using guidance from CSE, which helped to identify potential improvements, including zero-cost measures, and calculate carbon and cost savings. From insulation and draught proofing to improved heating measures and LED lighting, we have awarded up to £4k in grants each to:
<ul>
<li>Alfriston War Memorial Hall, Alfriston – East Sussex</li>
<li>Pill Village Hall &amp; Community Centre, Pill – Bristol</li>
<li>St Mary’s Centre, Whicam – Newcastle upon Tyne</li>
<li>Bedfield &amp; Monk Soham Community Club, Bedfield – Suffolk</li>
<li>Impact Initiatives, Brighton</li>
<li>Halton Community Association, Halton – Lancaster</li>
<li>St Peter&#8217;s Church, March – Cambridgeshire</li>
<li>Shutlanger Village Hall Charity, Shutlanger – Northamptonshire</li>
<li>Strichen Community Park, Strichen – Fraserburgh</li>
<li>Holy Trinity Nailsea Church, Nailsea – Bristol</li>
</ul>

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, last year we repurposed our Community Benefit Programme and added savings made on business travel to meet the urgent needs of the communities who host our projects – donating £39,050 to organisations fighting poverty, loneliness and supporting education. This included foodbanks, a care home to provide iPads to residents enabling them to speak to their loved ones, a baby bank providing essentials to new families experiencing poverty, and a local school to support home learning.
With round five included, we’ve awarded 41 grants to 33 buildings, totalling close to £120,000. These improvements save 68 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.

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Caton Moor

We’re awarding over £29,000 in grants to make community buildings warm & cosy this Christmas and beyond. 

Thrive’s Community Benefit Programme reports record number of entries

The #FacesoftheEnergyTransition campaign is being supported by the COP26 and Race to Zero digital channels, with Monika discussing the huge influence her first All-Energy conference had on her career, as well as her hopes for a clean energy future.
Watch Monika’s video in full below, with special thanks to Regen and the other companies supporting the campaign including Energy UK, The Association for Decentralised Energy, Energy Networks Association, Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), REA, RenewableUK, Solar Energy UK, Community Energy England and Electricity Storage Network.

Monika Paplaczyk, Investment Director, Thrive Renewables

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Monika Paplaczyk Thrive Renewables

Faces of the Energy Transition

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Thrive renewables open day in Avonmouth. September 2022.

Hear from our investment director, Monika Paplacyzk, about her journey within the renewables sector as part of a new campaign showcasing some of the inspiring women behind the energy transition.

Joining the #FacesoftheEnergyTransition campaign

It was great to be able to reconnect with likeminded businesses and celebrate all the work that has gone into shifting the business dial towards better environmental and social performance over the last 12 months. Now in its 11th year, the BusinessGreen Leaders Awards aims to recognise the inspiring businesses and individuals driving the transition towards a sustainable net zero emission economy.
For more information on the awards and the lucky winners on the night, read BusinessGreen’s article <a href="https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4037548/businessgreen-leaders-awards-2021-winner">here</a>.

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BGLA2021_Winner_ESGInvestoroftheYear

We headed to London to celebrate all the groundbreaking work happening within the sector.

Thrive wins coveted BusinessGreen Leaders Award

Due to the weather conditions during the first half of the year – Q2 2021 was one of the least windy on record – and also essential maintenance on some of our larger projects, there was a year-on-year reduction in the amount of electricity we generated.
Because of this, we have also reported lower financial results compared to the same period last year, with a half year operating profit of £0.9m on a turnover of £4.99m. Full details of Thrive’s financial performance and impact in 2020 can be downloaded via our <a href="/documents/2020-annual-report/">Annual Report</a>.
We are continuing to make the planned investment to our current portfolio and expect to see growth in the second half of the year. There has been good progress in the development, construction and commissioning of our new battery storage, geothermal and industrial solar rooftop investments during H1. In particular, the United Downs site in Cornwall has produced geothermal steam at 175°C, while high levels of lithium have been found in its geothermal waters – showing huge potential to supply electric vehicle battery manufacture.

Shareholders received a final dividend of 7p per share for 2020, which was paid in July 2021. We also successfully repaid the Thrive Renewables (Buchan) bond in July, where investments were used to fund two wind turbines at the Auchtygills and Clayfords farms in Aberdeenshire. Please note that past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future returns.
In addition to reducing carbon emissions through our 20 renewable energy investments across the UK, we continue to have a positive impact both socially and environmentally. We recently announced <a href="/latest-news/news/reaching-net-zero-is-just-the-start/">our commitment to achieving net zero by 2030</a> as part of B Corp’s Climate Collective, while we were also featured on <a href="/latest-news/news/thrive-makes-b-corp-s-best-for-the-world-environment-list/">B Corp’s ‘Best for the World – Environment’ list</a>, which saw us score within the top 5% of all global B Corps based on our commitment to reducing our footprint.
In July, we launched round five of our <a href="/our-mission/community-benefit/">Community Benefit Programme</a> in conjunction with the Centre for Sustainable Energy, providing grants for energy efficiency and sustainability improvements for community buildings close to our clean energy projects.

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IMG_0022

Good progress on new battery storage, geothermal and industrial solar investments.

Thrive Renewables announces half year results for 2021

While it’s our business to help reduce the UK’s carbon footprint, it’s vitally important that we lead by example and reduce our own emissions too. That is why we’re pleased to share we’ve signed up to <a href="https://www.bcorpclimatecollective.org/net-zero-2030-1">‘Net Zero 2030’ as part of B Corp’s Climate Collective</a>.
We already have a number of significant measures in place to reduce our own environmental impact, which at 2.6 tonnes of carbon emissions for direct (scopes one and two) emissions in 2020, is low. The average UK citizen has a carbon footprint of 10.4 tCO2e per year<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a>. Thrive’s office, one of the greenest in Bristol, is BREEAM certified and has solar panels located on the roof. We use renewable electricity tariffs to supply all of our operational clean energy projects, while our staff can also benefit from both a bike to work scheme and the Climate Perks initiative, which incentivises low carbon holiday travel.
Our Community Benefit Programme saves a further 60 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year. The voluntary scheme, which has been running since 2015, provides grants to communities living close to our renewable energy projects so that they can make energy efficiency and sustainability improvements to shared buildings such as village halls or community centres. Administered by the Centre for Sustainable Energy, the 60 tonne annual savings from this outweighs Thrive’s direct emissions, which we estimate puts us in a carbon negative position for scopes 1 &amp; 2.
We are now working to calculate our indirect emissions (scope 3) coming from the construction and operation of our renewable energy projects. Once this is calculated, we will be reviewing our overall figures again to ensure we are taking the reduction and offset measures required to be net zero. You can read our Net Zero statement in full <a href="/impact/business-ethics/net-zero-2030/">here</a>.

To reach net zero, countries must balance the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere with those taken out, with the UK pledging to achieve this by 2050 as part of the Paris Agreement. In April, Boris Johnson also enacted in law the world’s most ambitious climate target to date – reducing emissions by 78% by 2035.
Founded in 1994, we were one of the UK’s first purpose driven businesses, with a mission to power the transition to a sustainable energy future by helping people meaningfully connect with clean energy projects. We were also one of the first companies to fund ‘direct wire’ energy solutions for businesses – where they install solar or wind projects on site and benefit from the clean electricity generated, reducing their own carbon footprint.
Highlighting our commitment to the cause, Thrive certified as a B Corp in December 2020 with a score of 110.8, joining a community of businesses meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance. In July this year, we were also included on B Corp’s ‘Best for the World – Environment’, which saw us score in the top 5% of global B Corps in this category.
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<a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">[1]</a> <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/979588/Defra_UK_carbon_footprint_accessible_rev2_final.pdf">UK&#8217;s Carbon Footprint 1997 &#8211; 2018 (publishing.service.gov.uk)</a>, 2018, 703 million tCO2e p.a. divided by UK population of 67.9 million (2020) <a href="https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/united-kingdom-population">United Kingdom Population 2021 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs) (worldpopulationreview.com)</a>

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TIDE &amp; ISE 2018

We have joined B Corp’s Climate Collective and pledged to go net zero before the end of the decade – but our direct carbon emissions are already exceptionally low.

Reaching net zero is just the start!

Playing a vital role in our vision for a cleaner, smarter energy system in the UK, the two turbines have delivered 24,412,500kWh of renewable electricity since commencing generation in the spring of 2015 – enough electricity to power 92,548 UK homes for a year and saving a total of 10,790 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The bond, which provided investors with an annual return of 5.5% over a five-year period, reached its initial target raise of £3 million in just under four weeks in 2016 – the second fastest bond offer to close in Ethex’s history at the time. The success of the bond is testament to Thrive Renewables’ approach of investing in solid portfolios, honed over 25 years’ experience. Please note past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance
In May, we published our <a href="/documents/2020-annual-report/">Annual Report </a>which highlighted the continued success of our wind and hydro projects, which have collectively generated nearly 150,000,000 kWh of renewable electricity – enough to power 40% of the UK’s electric vehicle journeys. As a result, this clean energy generation has removed the emission of 66,689 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Last year the company deployed profits from the sale of two wind farms in 2019 into a range of new clean energy projects reflecting the future needs of the UK energy system, including new solar, battery storage and geothermal technologies.

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Auchtygils

Buchan – Thrive Renewable’s first ever crowdfunded bond – supported the development and operation of two wind projects in Aberdeenshire.

Thrive’s first bond successfully repaid

The IPCC’s report paints a severe picture of our impact on the planet’s future but, despite claims of a “code red for humanity”, we must remember that hope is not lost. In fact, with human influence found to be the main driver (90%) of glacier decline since the 1990s, it proves that – with rapid systemic change – we can also heavily contribute to the climate solution.
The science highlights that if we take immediate action to reduce carbon emissions we can “yield rapid and sustained effects”, but this must be a collaborative effort and needs to be supported by widespread policy change and structure. Published just three months before COP26 – which will see countries come together to agree a comprehensive, ambitious and balanced plan for co-ordinated climate action in line with the Paris Agreement – the report has given governments, policymakers and other key decision makers a warning call to accelerate their efforts.
<h3>What is required to avoid climate catastrophe?</h3>
<h4>Immediate action</h4>
The IPCC has made it clear that time is precious and the longer we wait to eliminate fossil fuels – the worse it will get. In July, data from the Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) revealed that, for the first time ever, renewable energy sources generated more electricity than fossil fuels in 2020, increasing from 37% in 2019 to 43%. Wind power alone generated a record 24.1% of the UK’s electricity last year, with 13% coming from offshore projects and 11.1% from onshore projects – a significant step forward in the UK’s fight to reduce carbon emissions.
Despite this, growth in new renewable capacity slowed with just 1GW added in 2020, the lowest since 2007. We know this is currently not enough to meet the UK’s net zero targets, with RenewableUK predicting that we’ll need – for example – 90GW of offshore wind and 36GW of onshore wind by 2050. The same can be seen in solar too. While the UK is on track to double its solar capacity by 2030, we will need to treble it to 75GW-90GW if we are going to balance carbon emissions by 2050.
This is achievable, but further action is required to ensure we are able to mitigate the worst of the climate crisis. Most importantly, we need stable, forward-looking policies and action to support the integration of different renewable technologies onto the grid in the most cost-effective way possible.
<h4>Brave policy</h4>
Following its publication, Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the IPCC’s report “sober reading”, whilst Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer added that “the biggest threat we now face is not climate denial but climate delay”. We need our leaders to step forwards and be courageous – we have ambitious targets to meet but these will only be achieved if we have the policies in place to support it.
With this in mind, it will be interesting to learn the outcome of the government’s Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme, which will provide revenue stability to renewable energy projects in the coming years. Given the previous removal of revenue support for new onshore wind we were really pleased that this was covered and look forward to seeing how the allocations are awarded.
There is no denying that we are still a long way away from reaching net zero but, while the IPCC’s report hammered home the stark realities of climate change, we remain optimistic. Positive changes can be made to reduce dangerous global warming – as long as we act together now. A change in mindset is needed across the board, from governments and policymakers right through to businesses and each one of us. It’s this collaboration – underpinned by smart, stable policy reform – which will be vital to the phasing out of fossil fuels.

thrive-renewables

In a landmark report, the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has confirmed that human activity is having an “unequivocal” impact on global warming, with a temperature increase of 1.5C now likely to be passed or temporarily reached by 2040.

IPCC report - The cause and the solution

The Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE)’s Green Match Fund appeal aims to provide more communities with the bespoke tools and resources that they need to create sustainable, resilient places to live – from improving the energy efficiency of houses and community buildings to preserving natural spaces and setting up social enterprises for community energy.  
As long-standing supporters of CSE’s work helping communities to take local climate action, we are proud to support their Green Match Fund this April. Between 18th-25th, Thrive will be doubling donations made to CSE until the match pot runs out. This means your donation could make twice the difference.
<h4><a href="https://donate.biggive.org/campaign/a056900002S0j8wAAB?utm_source=thrive&amp;utm_medium=comms&amp;utm_campaign=gmf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here to donate</a></h4>

Providing Green Match Funding to CSE is part of our wider commitment to the charity. They also  deliver our Community Benefit Programme which improves energy efficiency for community buildings near our sites, making them warmer, cosier and cheaper to run. By working together on the Green Match Fund we can help even more communities reduce carbon emissions and use energy more sustainably.

Make double the difference to community climate action 

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Green Match Fund 2024

We’re helping them make double the difference to community climate action.

Centre for Sustainable Energy's Big Give Green Match Fund

The bond helped to fund new projects that deliver cheaper, cleaner electricity to homes and businesses across the UK, including a milestone community wind project in Cumbria in 2017. Mean Moor wind farm was the first recipient of our award-winning community energy funding bridge, enabling the first commercial scale wind farm in the country to transfer from a developer to 100% community ownership. Funds raised by the bond were also used to build a 6MW wind farm in West Lothian on the site of a disused coal mine, as well as a 2MW hydro-electric project in the Scottish Highlands.

Thrive was ‘highly commended’ at Investment Week’s Sustainable Investment Awards in 2017 for this innovative green energy bond, giving bondholders the opportunity to include their investment in an IFISA.

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Launching in 2016, it was the first bond offer to be available through an Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA).

Second Thrive bond successfully repaid after seven years funding new clean energy projects

In total our wind, solar and hydro projects delivered emissions reductions equivalent to 58,620 tCO2e, a 1% increase in impact on 2022 [3]. 
Despite overall wind speeds in the UK being slightly lower last year than the long-term average, we managed to generate more power than in 2022.  
As part of our long-term growth strategy we aim to double our renewable generation capacity over the next five years. Last year we made <a href="/latest-news/news/new-deal-with-ethical-power-will-help-double-thrive-s-impact/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our largest single investment to date</a> and continued to support community-owned projects, including committing £4 million to <a href="/latest-news/news/4-million-investment-into-community-group-attix-cic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scotland’s first subsidy free, 100% community-owned onshore wind turbine</a>.  
We also extended the life of our 22 year old Sigurd wind turbine on Orkney after the original blades reached end of life having generated 88GWh of clean electricity in one of the windiest spots in the UK. Refurbished blades have been fitted so that Sigurd can continue generating clean electricity while the old blades are being <a href="/latest-news/news/reducing-waste-at-our-sigurd-wind-farm/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">repurposed into useful items like bike shelters and EV charging stations</a>.

[1] Impact Portfolio describing Thrive’s share of projects owned plus the projects Thrive is funding.
[2] Average residents per household 2.4 (<a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/families/bulletins/familiesandhouseholds/2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/families/bulletins/familiesandhouseholds/2020</a>), Population of Preston is 99,198 (<a href="https://www.thegeographist.com/uk-cities-population-1000/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.thegeographist.com/uk-cities-population-1000/</a>).
[3] RenewableUK uses DESNZ’s “all non-renewable fuels” emissions statistic of 424 tonnes of carbon dioxide per GWh of electricity supplied in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics (July 2023) Table 5.14 (“Estimated carbon dioxide emissions from electricity supplied”). Carbon reduction is calculated by multiplying the total amount of renewable electricity generated by Thrive’s impact portfolio per year by the number of tonnes of carbon which fossil fuels would have produced to generate the same amount of electricity.

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

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