Sustainable at heart

  • Posted: 26 Oct 2020

We are once again celebrating Good Money Week (24-30 October). This national campaign is run by the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association, which we are part of, and aims to grow and raise awareness of sustainable, responsible and ethical finance.

Sustainable and ethical finance is what we do. We’ve been investing in renewable energy projects for more than 25 years and how the world has changed! When Thrive was founded back in 1994, sustainable finance was a phrase rarely heard. Today, however, thanks to increasing awareness of climate change and the urgency of addressing it, it’s becoming mainstream.

In the first six months of this year, we’ve continued to make a positive impact. Here is a snapshot of what’s been achieved so far in 2020:

  • Generated 84,236MWh of renewable electricity, enough to power a city the size of Worcester 1.  
  • Emissions reductions of 37,906 2  tonnes of carbon dioxide.
  • Invested in United Downs geothermal power plant, which is currently in development, and Riding Sunbeams, a pioneering solar rail company.
  • Awarded Highly Commended in the category of ESG Investor of the Year, at the prestigious BusinessGreen Leaders Awards. It was a huge honour to be recognised by BusinessGreen alongside many other strong finalists.

“Our half year results show how we have continued to create a positive impact on the environment and present a great example of how finance can be used as a force for good. We’re investing in pioneering projects such as geothermal electricity generation and solar rail. And our existing portfolio continues to generate clean energy, enabling our 6,250 investors to deliver direct impact by reducing carbon emissions and combatting climate change.” Matthew Clayton, Managing Director, Thrive Renewables

We’ve been awarded the Good Egg Kitemark since 2017 by Good With Money. The kitemark is awarded to business which are able to prove that they make a positive impact by benefiting society and the environment.

1 Calculated using the most recent statistics from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) showing that annual UK average domestic household consumption is 3,618kWh, https://www.renewableuk.com/page/UKWEDExplained
2  RenewableUK uses BEIS’s “all fossil fuels” emissions statistic of 450 tonnes of carbon dioxide per GWh of electricity supplied in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics (July 2020) p125 Table 5D (“Estimated carbon dioxide emissions from electricity supplied 2015 to 2017”), https://www.renewableuk.com/page/UKWEDExplained.  Average per capita greenhouse gas emissions.