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kessingland

Latest news

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>

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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

Featured

<div>So far, two wells have been successfully drilled, one of which is the deepest onshore well in the UK at 5.1km vertical depth, almost four times the height of Ben Nevis.  The wells are also the hottest in the UK with an expected temperature of over 190°C.  Initial flow tests show that the project will be capable of producing the UK’s first geothermal electricity. The project is now in its final testing phase.</div>
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<div>Thrive Renewables is investing funds to complete the final rounds of testing and to build the geothermal power plant.  Radial turbines, powered by the energy from water heated deep in the earth, will generate enough renewable electricity to power approximately 6,500 UK homes and will be available 24 hours a day. There are also early stage plans to use the residual heat energy from the project to provide renewable heat locally.</div>

The United Downs geothermal power plant could start to generate renewable electricity as early as next year. Geothermal electricity generation technology has proved very successful in Europe and beyond, with over 12,500MW currently operational globally.

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UD 10

The United Downs Deep Geothermal Power Project has been set up to explore the deep geothermal resources in Cornwall and is working towards making the county’s vision for a low-carbon energy future a reality. 

To establish the United Downs power plant, two deep geothermal wells have been drilled into the granitic rock beneath the site.  The wells are directional (j-shaped) to intercept a target geological structure (the Porthtowan Fault).  The natural structure enables water to be circulated through the hot rock from the injection well to the production well in a continuous cycle.   As the water moves through the rock it picks up heat which is then extracted and converted to electricity at the surface.

The electricity and heat energy produced from the plant will be continuous (24/7) as geothermal energy does not suffer from the peaks and troughs that many other renewable power sources are subject to.

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United Downs 3

About the United Downs geothermal power project

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UD geothermal 2 1400

Funding will enable final testing and power plant construction.

Thrive Renewables to invest up to £6.5 million in the UK's first geothermal electricity power plant being developed by Geothermal Engineering Ltd

Profits generated by the turbine were paid to the Baywind members and to the Baywind Energy Community Trust, a charity which offers grant funding for energy, education and community welfare in the Furness area.
Now that the 20 year agreement has ended, Baywind has decided not to make further investment in the wind turbine at Haverigg II. Ownership of the turbine has returned to Thrive for a fee, but the company is very open to further community co-ownership in the future. Thrive continues to invest in one of Baywind’s other community wind farms, Mean Moor, which is owned jointly by three community co-operatives.

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4 turbines

In 1998, when the Haverigg II wind farm site in Cumbria was first built, Thrive Renewables agreed to grant ownership of one of the turbines to the pioneering local energy co-operative, Baywind, for 20 years.

Thrive Renewables and Baywind Energy Co-operative agree deal for Turbine at Haverigg II

We believe this new policy will benefit Thrive in three ways:
<h3>Cutting carbon</h3>
Thrive exists to reduce Carbon Dioxide emissions by powering the clean energy transition. Currently, there is no technological solution for sustainable flights, behaviour change is key to cutting carbon from flights. <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49349566" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Flying less</a> is one of the most the most powerful actions we can take to reduce carbon emissions and protect the planet. A single return flight to Berlin from the UK clocks up the same amount of CO2 as <a href="https://tyndall.ac.uk/publications/tyndall-working-paper/2015/towards-culture-low-carbon-research-21st-century" target="_blank" rel="noopener">13 return trips by train</a>, showing the impact of our staff taking just one less flight could be huge. With the workplace a key part of modern life we hope to harness the social power of our staff to unlock this new way to cut carbon – moving beyond more traditional business-focused environmental policies.
<h3>Building a reputation as a climate leader </h3>
We’ve been <a href="/latest-news/news/people-power-key-for-sustainable-future/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pioneers in the renewable energy sector</a> for the last 25 years and now we want to be pioneering employers in this urgent area also. As a Climate Perks employer, we will be a part of getting climate conscious travel off the ground (or back to earth!) in the UK. As we continue on our net zero journey, companies and organisations will be expected to show more and more leadership around climate action. So we’re stepping up now! And we will continue to work and push boundaries to find new ways to reduce our impact on the planet.
<h3>Employee wellbeing</h3>
Recent <a href="https://www.triodos.co.uk/articles/2019/how-is-the-environmental-crisis-making-us-feel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research by Triodos Bank</a> showed 29% of the British public feel overwhelmed by the climate crisis, rising to 40% amongst younger people aged 16-24. However, <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2220561-stressed-about-climate-change-eight-tips-for-managing-eco-anxiety/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taking action</a> and having the freedom to make climate and ecologically conscious choices can have a big affect on how you feel. <a href="https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media.afreeride.org/documents/Aviation_briefing_Jan2019+FINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Research by Possible</a> showed 50% of 18-44 year olds would prefer to work for an employer that helps them to take clean travel on holiday. Through Climate Perks we hope to support staff and future recruits make lifestyle choices that reflect their values &#8211; strengthening staff well-being, satisfaction and loyalty.
Learn more about Climate Perks on their <a href="https://www.climateperks.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website.</a>
Possible is a UK based climate charity that brings people together to take positive, practical action on climate change. Combining individual and local actions with larger systemic change, we connect people with each other, and communities with ways to address the climate crisis. Learn more about Possible on their <a href="https://www.wearepossible.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website.</a>

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TIDE &amp; ISE 2018

We are proud to announce that Thrive is a pioneering member of the Climate Perks programme, created by climate charity “Possible”, offering our staff two paid ‘journey days’ when opting for sustainable holiday travel.

Empowering our team to take sustainable flight-free holidays

In 2016 we developed the Community Energy Funding Bridge to empower communities to develop or purchase their own local renewable energy projects. Since then we’ve supported five community groups to acquire three renewable energy projects.
If your community is interested in building a renewable energy project, we’ve put together a handy guide of 10 things you should think about before you start.
Read the full article on the Community Energy England <a href="https://communityenergyengland.org/news/10-things-to-think-about-when-you-are-planning-a-wind-solar-or-hydro-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website.</a>

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Thrive’s top 10 things to think about if you’re planning to build a wind, solar or hydro project.

Empowering communities to build local renewable energy projects

But these changes and the rate at which they move must be turbocharged as we move into the next decade. The 2010’s mark the end of the time for organic transition – we now need radical transformation.
If we are going to get to net zero carbon emissions, the next 10 years will look very different. Matthew Clayton writes for <a href="https://good-with-money.com/2020/01/03/renewables-to-power-a-decade-of-transformation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Good With Money.</a>

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Our MD, Matthew Clayton, writes for Good with Money.

Renewables to power a decade of transformation

In her speech at the opening of parliament this week, the Queen said: “My Government will continue to take steps to meet the world-leading target of net-zero GHG emissions by 2050.”
Meanwhile, the Committee on Climate Change has written to the Prime Minister pressing him inject new urgency into the development and implementation of policy to deliver on the net zero target:

There is an urgent need to develop and implement ambitious, long-term, joined up policy to deliver net zero and at Thrive we will be working with industry bodies and investors to support that process. In the meantime, there are some straightforward, almost cost neutral things the new government could do right now to create a much more supportive environment for onshore renewables &#8211; the cheapest way of producing electricity across the globe.
<h3>Long term stability &#8211; A new approach to planning</h3>
The UK’s planning regime needs overhauling to reflect the climate emergency and government’s net zero targets. The key is longer-term thinking. Currently, unlike almost any other infrastructure project, new onshore renewables are typically only granted planning permission for a maximum of 20 to 30 years. This built in obsolescence makes investment difficult now subsidies have been removed and could even mean we start to see our onshore wind fleet shrink in size over the next few years. A new, longer term approach to planning for onshore renewables from government would provide the stability needed for investment, ultimately reducing the cost of electricity.
<h3>Size matters &#8211; We could be doing so much more, with so much less</h3>
Currently there are arbitrary limits on the height of onshore wind turbines. Essentially, the taller the turbine, the better wind it can access, and the more power it can generate &#8211; both the environmental and financial costs are less with taller turbines. Current planning rules favour short turbines, hindering land use and realisation of the UK’s abundant natural resource.  We could have fewer, taller turbines generating much more clean electricity at lower cost if some simple changes were made to planning assumptions.
<h3>Businesses as mini power stations</h3>
Many businesses have set net zero targets and are now trying to figure out how they can deliver them. One incredibly powerful way to do this is to use their existing land and buildings as sites for wind, hydro and solar installations. At Thrive, we have successfully delivered several of these projects for businesses <a href="/projects/investment-case-studies/private-wire/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">across the country</a>, helping them save on bills and maximise their use of clean energy.  Consistent policies would business confidence to not only become greener but also play a part in making the UK more self-sufficient.
<h3>Get smarter, together</h3>
What connects your freezer and hot water tank at home with a massive data centre? All have the potential to adjust their electricity consumption to reflect the needs of the grid, and even act as storage. The industry calls this ‘demand side management’. If it were made mandatory, we could unite in adjusting our consumption patterns, saving electricity and reducing the amount of infrastructure we need, which keeps the costs down for everyone.  The technology is here, we just need consumers to demand A**** rated domestic products.
<h3>Bring back the hot water tank!</h3>
Generating our heat more sustainably is a big challenge, but would reap high rewards. When we think of energy storage, our minds leap to batteries and the exciting role electric cars can play in the future. However, a hot water tank, whist not being very new and exciting, is an excellent way to store renewable electricity, shaping demand (heating your hot water) when there is abundant renewable electricity, then storing it as hot water until you need it (at peak energy demand times in the morning), can play a big part in cleaning up our energy needs and reducing the amount of grid infrastructure required. Space heating and hot water accounts for 80% of UK residential energy consumption. Almost 40% of the UK’s energy requirement is for heat with 70% of our heating requirements met by burning natural gas, resulting in 20% of the UK’s CO2 emissions.
<h3>Snuggle up</h3>
Energy efficiency always tends to be the Cinderella of energy policy. But a more joined up approach is needed. Energy usage needs to be factored in to the existing building regulations so every new home is as comfortable and cheap to run as possible. Retro fitting insulation, thermostats and other measures should move on from middle class ‘fixer uppers’ and into the mainstream. Those who are old and vulnerable will benefit most from energy efficiency measures, bringing down bills and making homes warmer and cosier. And jobs will be created across the construction industry.
<h3>Cheaper, cleaner energy for all</h3>
Everyone knows we need cheaper, cleaner energy to help us reach net zero as quickly as possible while keeping the lights on. The UK’s Climate Change Committee has spelled out what needs to be done; with over one third of our electricity now generated by renewables, the sector has proved itself. Embedding zero carbon targets across government departments in an integrated way will accelerate our transition to a cleaner, greener future; and long-term planning and policy certainty will allow the sector to build on the success of the last ten years and grow exponentially.

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caton winter 2

Simple steps the new government can take right now to drive growth in renewables.

Get net zero done

Climate activists, scientists, businesses and ordinary people have taken climate change from a “niche’ topic to top of the political agenda. For the first time, the majority of political parties are taking the climate crisis extremely seriously in their manifestos, demonstrating how the public can influence politics and force those in government to take the issues we care about seriously.
In contrast to much of our political discourse at the moment, this debate was broadly civil and constructive. There was point scoring and argument of course, but the reality is that the leaders were essentially in violent agreement. Many of the policies are broadly similar and the argument about deadlines should not distract from acting right now.
A key moment was when Nicola Sturgeon of the SNP mentioned unity. Climate change isn’t something we should be squabbling about, it should unite us together in the fight for our lives. The melting ice sculptures were an impactful visual reminder that not all party leaders chose to take part. But climate change is one of the top issues affecting this election according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/30/climate-crisis-affects-how-majority-will-vote-in-uk-election-poll" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent polls</a>, with 54% of adults saying it will affect how they vote &#8211; rising to 74% for under 25s. So all parties need to take it extremely seriously.
Elsewhere in Europe and internationally, positive steps are being taken. European Parliament declared a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/28/eu-parliament-declares-climate-emergency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Climate Emergency</a> yesterday, and next week sees the start of the most important <a href="https://unfccc.int/cop25" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN climate meeting</a> for four years. So our message continues to be the same. Let’s work together to be the change we want to see by building new, clean energy capacity, and keep holding whoever is in government to account to put policy in place with reflects both the gravity of the Climate Crisis and the huge potential we have to create a better future for us all.

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Last night saw the first climate crisis party leaders’ debate in history. This is the issue of our time and the greatest existential threat humanity will face. We have just 11 years to turn the climate-change super tanker around and the next government could be in power for 5 of those years, so this type of national conversation is absolutely vital.

Climate crisis debate - Another step on the transition journey

The company plans for electricity generated at the site to be supplied both directly to a local business and the electricity grid. Thrive Renewables has a track record of innovation in renewable energy project development, including ‘private wire’ projects, designed to enable local businesses to use power directly from a wind farm. This provides long-term, stable energy prices for the business and price certainty for the wind farm operator, protecting both parties from the volatility of the energy market.
When Chapelton wind farm is built, the local community will be able to apply for Thrive Renewables Community Benefit Programme, which offers grants to improve energy efficiency in community buildings like village halls, making them warmer, more comfortable and cheaper to run.

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We have acquired a new wind farm site near Girvan, South Ayrshire in Scotland. The project, to be named Chapelton wind farm, has planning and land rights for three turbines and initial ground works have commenced.

Thrive Renewables acquires new wind farm site in Scotland

The offshore wind sector alone is likely to see a 260% increase in jobs by 2032. In addition, the report suggests that in the next five years there will be 600,000 positions which will need replacing due to staff retirement; there are simply not enough young graduates entering the field to replace them. It is therefore important for our sector to do what we can to inspire more people to pursue careers in renewable energy.
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So, on 4 November we were particularly pleased to welcome a group of engineering students from the University of Bristol to Avonmouth, to give them a behind the scenes look at an operational onshore wind farm. We also wanted to provide some insight into what skills go into developing renewable energy projects and careers options available.
Operations Manager, Adrian, talked to the students about each stage of development, from financing the project and gaining planning permission, to construction and operations. Many of the students had not visited a wind farm before and enjoyed learning more about the turbines.

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The UK renewables sector is currently experiencing a severe skills shortage.

Supporting the next generation of renewable energy engineers

Green Great Britain Week could not be more relevant and needed right now. We are in a climate emergency, that emergency cannot be postponed or rescheduled. Every day, week, month we waste on inaction is to the detriment of not just the UK, but the entire planet. We have so much to do and just over 11 years to do it.
<h3>More good news on renewables</h3>
A recent report released by the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/21/renewable-energy-to-expand-by-50-in-next-five-years-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Energy Agency</a> showed that global renewables are growing faster than expected and could expand by 50% in the next five years, led by a resurgence in cheaper solar power. This growth will bring the world’s renewable generated electricity up to 30%. Whilst this is fantastic news, if we have any hope of achieving climate, air quality and energy access goals, the deployment of renewables must accelerate ever further still.
In the third quarter of 2019, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/oct/14/renewable-electricity-overtakes-fossil-fuels-in-uk-for-first-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UK renewables generated more electricity than fossil fuels</a> for the first time since the first ever power plant in 1882, providing 40% of our electricity needs. Helped by a string of new offshore wind farms built this year, wind power is the UK’s strongest source of renewable energy making up 20% of the mix. This signifies a crucial tipping point in our energy transition, and yet another milestone on our net zero journey.
<h3>Environment Bill and Office for Environmental Protection</h3>
In the Queen’s speech on 11 October, the government laid out its new Environmental Bill which will reportedly enshrine environmental principles into law for the first time. Several of the Bill’s proposals have been welcomed, such as those on restoring and protecting nature and tackling plastic pollution. However, few policy details have been released and very little was mentioned in relation to decarbonisation and curbing emissions in line with meeting net zero targets. In addition to the proposed bills, the government announced plans to establish the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP), an independent watchdog, to hold the government to account and ensure compliance with environmental targets and laws.
This new watchdog provides an opportunity to put sustainability at the heart of the UK economy. However, we are concerned about its lack of power to discipline non-compliant organisations. Under EU rules, for example, the government has faced heavy fines for failing to meet EU air standards. It has also been forced to reduce nitrogen oxides pollution. The OEP however, will not have such powers which leads to worries that the new watchdog will be insufficient to punish those who breach new standards or fail to hit the UK’s green targets.  With an election in the offing, the future is even more unclear.
<h3>Action and leadership now</h3>
Behind the announcements of government plans to protect and improve the environment through the Environment Bill and the new OEP, they have been slipping ever further from their legally binding targets on emissions that are directly contributing to global heating.
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC), the government’s advisory group on climate change and emissions targets, outlined changes which need to be made to reach net zero in their 2019 progress report. Changes such as supporting onshore wind and solar and improving home insulation. The new OEP is expected to provide some additional teeth to compliment the work of the CCC. However, it is difficult to have confidence in the OEP’s ability to police our environmental and climate action when so few of the CCC’s recommendations have so far been met.
Right now, we need environmental and climate leadership from government, but also from local authorities, industry, business and individual people. Green Great Britain Week would have been a great opportunity to bring all those different corners of the UK economy and society together to develop and harness that leadership to create real change.
Next year the UK will be hosting COP26 in Glasgow, shining a spotlight on the government’s actions on the climate emergency. If we want to be seen as a world leader on that stage, the work needs to start now, and it needs to start with clear policy and tangible action. We need to create a viable route to market for onshore renewables, the cheapest sources of new energy generation. We need to change the planning regulations to protect the UK’s current portfolio of renewable energy projects from shrinking as they approach the end of their planning consent. We need to support the repowering of older renewable energy projects, making use of more advanced and efficient technology.
The road to net zero is clear. It has been laid out in front of us by scientists and the government’s own <a href="https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/net-zero-the-uks-contribution-to-stopping-global-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CCC</a>, <a href="https://www.nic.org.uk/assessment/national-infrastructure-assessment/low-cost-low-carbon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National infrastructure Committee</a> and <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/700496/clean-growth-strategy-correction-april-2018.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BEIS</a> to name a few. Now we must choose to take it. We need the new government, when it is elected, to step up and move quickly in the right direction. It should be Green Great Britain Week every week for business, individuals, communities and beyond.

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sigurd 2

This week we should have been celebrating Green Great Britain Week.

What happened to Green Great Britain Week?

Each successful community building will receive up to £4,000 to make energy efficiency and sustainability improvements carefully targeted for their specific design and use.  Improvements like loft insulation, new double-glazed windows, draft-proof doors, thermal curtains and efficient LED lighting.
A wide variety of buildings have been awarded grants this year, hosting projects, charities and organisations which support and address different community needs.
Successful applicants include:
<ul>
<li>North East Suffolk Citizens Advice Bureau &#8211; an independent charity providing impartial, free advice to the local community</li>
<li>Heart and Sound &#8211; a Scottish youth work and creative media charity</li>
<li>Alloa Rugby Football Club &#8211; a rugby training facility and social club for local sports teams</li>
<li>St Paul’s Parish Church &#8211; the village hub acting as a focal point hosting groups of all ages from across the local area</li>
</ul>
The sustainability improvements are forecast to save community organisations an average of £649 per year. This will go a long way to helping them maintain these vital shared spaces which provide so much for the people who use them. In addition, the energy efficiency improvements are also calculated to save 23.03 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year, contributing to the global effort to address the climate emergency and reach our targets of net zero emissions by 2050.
North East Suffolk Citizens Advice Bureau received £1,781 for loft insulation, which will support an ongoing project to improve the energy usage of the building.

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IMG_4719

23 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year will be avoided with round 4 of the community benefit programme.

Improved warmth and comfort in vital community buildings

We kicked off our celebrations last month with a birthday reception and a family open day at our Avonmouth wind farm. Nick Stromberg, intern at the Centre for Sustainable Energy, writes for Blue Patch’s Youth Blog about the events and festivities.
Read the full blog on the Blue Patch <a href="https://community.bluepatch.org/renewable-energy-in-britain-from-thrive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website.</a>

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The Blue Patch youth blog reports on Thrive’s 25th anniversary celebrations.

Thrive at 25! Youth blog

Having provided the first commercial funding for the project in 2020 and a further £3 million investment in 2023, we’re pleased to see the start of this exciting final phase. Geothermal Engineering Limited (GEL) expect construction work to be completed by summer this year, with the first power to be produced towards the end of 2024.  
We were delighted to be on site to see the start of construction at United Downs alongside other investors.
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The United Downs plant will be harnessing heat from hot granite rocks via two deep wells which were drilled and tested in 2019 and 2020. From this site and other proposed sites in Cornwall, GEL are hoping to produce enough power and heat for 70,000 homes by 2028. 
Recent testing at United Downs has shown that geothermal fluid within the wells has one of the highest concentrations of lithium in Europe at 340 parts per million (ppm). This sustainably produced UK lithium has the potential to fulfil a significant portion of the UK’s lithium, helping to support the growing EV industry.   
Last year GEL were awarded three Contracts for Difference, the first ever for geothermal in the UK. These contracts guarantee a set price for the sale of renewable electricity at United Downs and their other two sites at Manhay and Penhallow.

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Cornwall Time Lapse--4

The United Downs site is expected to start producing renewable electricity by late 2024.

Construction begins on UK's first geothermal power plant

In September 2023, we also agreed to fund 192MW of new solar PV and battery storage through a £20 million investment in a UK development portfolio. The first projects are expected to be constructed this year.

We are particularly proud that this project involved a collaborative effort between commercial and third sector organisations; Thrive, Aura Power, Bristol Energy Cooperative (BEC) and Residents Against Dirty Energy (RADE). Campaigning work by RADE and BEC originally prevented the site from becoming a polluting diesel STOR generator. Having successfully blocked planning permission for the dirty generator, they supported Aura Power’s proposal for a battery, a clean technology, storing excess electricity when it is abundant and ultimately enabling more renewables to be connected to the grid.  
In recognition of the community effort to support the project, we have been able to offer local residents the opportunity to own a stake in it through shared ownership with BEC. We are proud to be the first commercial owner to offer shared ownership in a standalone battery project in the UK.  
The project recently <a href="/latest-news/news/celebrating-our-collaborative-and-award-winning-funding-approach-at-the-community-energy-awards/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">won the Collaboration in Community Energy Award</a> with BEC, Aura and RADE at the 2023 Community Energy Awards. 
Our team has also developed a landscape plan for Feeder Road that will help to protect and enhance the biodiversity at the site. We’ve focused on providing the resident wildlife with more places to nest and shelter. This includes installing a number of bird, bat and invertebrate boxes, as well as planting trees, hedgerows, species rich grassland, shade scrub and native ferns that will strengthen local habitat corridors and provide wildlife with food, nectar and pollen.

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THRIVE FRportraits-92

20MW Bristol battery now delivering electricity to the grid.

Award-winning battery project enters operation

But there’s no denying it – the energy transition is happening (although not as quickly as we would like), and renewables are here to stay. Below we share some of the reasons we’re keeping positive as we look forward to another year of prioritising people and planet, funding and building new projects that deliver cheaper, cleaner power, lower household bills and support the UK’s transition to a fairer, net zero energy system.  
<h3>Renewables produced enough electricity in 2023 to power every UK home </h3>
According to The Energy &amp; Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU)[1], the UK’s fleet of wind, solar and hydro projects generated enough clean electricity to power the country’s 28 million homes in 2023. The think tank has estimated that these assets produced over 90TWh of electricity, while power generation from gas-fired power plants fell by 20 to 30 per cent each quarter compared to four years ago. New data from Carbon Brief has also found that renewables provided the single largest source of power to the grid last year at a record 42%.  
<h3>World leaders agreed to triple renewables by 2030  </h3>
In one of the most widely supported pledges at the recent COP28 conference in Dubai, over 110 policymakers agreed to tripling the world’s renewable capacity by 2030. During the conference, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, stated that “With these goals, we […] send a clear message to industries and investors. We are providing them with clarity and predictability about the future – the direction of travel. They will know how much additional capacity we need by 2030 and this will help them plan their business and investments”[2]. 
The move supports the International Renewable Energy Agency’s ‘World Energy Transitions Outlook’ which looks at how we close the energy transition gap to stay on a 1.5°C pathway. It calls for a tripling of installed renewables capacity from around 3,400 GW today to over 11,000 GW by 2030, adding on average an ambitious 1,000 GW annually until the end of this century. 
<h3>Batteries are booming </h3>
According to Modo Energy, Britain’s battery pipeline saw a significant increase in operational capacity (over 60%) in 2023, growing from 2.1GW at the close of 2022 to 3.4GW. Total energy capacity has reportedly grown even quicker, up to 4.5 GWh from 2.3 GWh in 2022 – meaning that the average duration of battery energy capacity in Britain is now 1.27 hours, up from 1.1 hours in 2022. 
Battery storage is a critical technology for net zero, storing electricity when renewable sources are abundant and releasing at peak times when consumer demand is at its highest. We’re pleased to share that our 20 MW battery project in Bristol is now operational, with the capacity to store and deliver 1.5 hours or 30 MWh of electricity. 
<h3>The UK&#8217;s first geothermal power plant will be constructed this year </h3>
Construction of a new geothermal power plant system at United Downs in Cornwall has begun, with the site expected to start producing baseload renewable electricity by late 2024. Geothermal Engineering Limited (GEL) awarded the supply contract to Exergy International last year, with the deal marking a major milestone in the project which Thrive provided the first commercial funding for in 2020, followed by a further £3 million investment in 2023. Once operational, GEL believes United Downs will save more than 6,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year compared to fossil fuel power generation, while also producing zero carbon heat that could be used to heat a nearby housing development.  
<h3>We aim to double the amount of clean energy capacity we fund over the next five years</h3>
Reflecting our commitment to tackling climate change, we revealed our ambitions to double our generation capacity to 180 MW over the next five years. 2024 will see us deliver on our growing pipeline, which includes funding 192 MW of solar and battery storage through our £20 million deal with Ethical Power, as well investing in other onshore wind, solar, geothermal and battery storage projects across the UK.  
As we look forward to another exciting year ahead, we’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who supported us in 2023. It’s because of you that Thrive can continue making an impact by building new renewable capacity, ensuring the benefits are felt by the people who need it most. 
[1] <a href="https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4159728/eciu-renewables-produced-electricity-2023-power-uk-home">ECIU: Renewables produced enough electricity in 2023 to power every UK home | BusinessGreen News</a>
[2] <a href="https://renews.biz/89878/global-leaders-agree-to-triple-renewables-capacity-by-2030/">COP28: Global leaders agree to triple renewables capacity by 2030 &#8211; reNews &#8211; Renewable Energy News</a>

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