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Latest news

Half year operating profit was £3.9 million on a revenue of £9.4 million (41%), including the contribution from investments. This is compared to an operating profit of £7.4 million on a revenue of £14.6 million (50.6%) in the first half of 2024. The decrease in turnover and operating profit is the result of lower electricity prices, which are now returning towards pre-energy crisis levels.
Diversifying the portfolio 
We continued to make strong headway on our growth plan to double generation capacity by 2028. Development of the two onshore wind farms we acquired in 2024 is well underway and earlier this year we acquired a 10MW ground mount solar farm in Essex. Dunmow solar farm is now operational, making the most of the sunshine we’ve experienced this summer. The site generated enough clean electricity to power over 8,000 homes in June, a very sunny month.
As well as acquiring new projects we’re committed to extending the life of our oldest assets. We’re pleased to be partnering with Burgar Hill Renewables to repower a wind project on Orkney, with plans to replace five of the current turbines (including our Sigurd turbine) with four larger and more efficient machines – harnessing the abundant natural resources at one of the best sites for wind generation in Europe.
Accelerating the energy transition through collaborative funding
We’ve always been big believers in community energy, investing over £21 million to date in community-led wind and solar. Now we’ve launched a £40 million funding partnership with Better Society Capital, the UK’s leading social impact investor, to offer flexible funding for community groups to build their own clean energy projects or take a stake in part of a larger project in their area. Fair Play Clean Energy, Thrive’s existing joint venture with TopCashback Sustainability Ltd, will provide £20 million of the investment, with Better Society Capital providing matched funding.
We’re also pledging to provide an opportunity for the community to own a share of every new project we acquire. Following through on that promise, we recently welcomed Community Energy Pathways and members of the local community to our Dunmow solar farm, who are helping us shape how shared ownership could work on this particular project.
Building a cleaner, fairer future for communities
For nine years we’ve been awarding energy efficiency grants to community centres near our clean energy projects – helping them become warmer, cosier and cheaper to run. The latest round of our Community Benefit Programme launched in August 2025 with grantees to be announced this Autumn.
In celebration of our 30th anniversary, this year we’re making an additional £30,000 available to help install solar panels on two community buildings close to our sites. This will be administered with the help of Centre for Sustainable Energy, which also runs our Community Benefit Programme.
Thrive’s mission is to create a cleaner, fairer future for generations to come. Earlier this year we were excited to get a small glimpse of what that future might look like. We welcomed the renowned food writer and environmental campaigner, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, to our Avonmouth wind farm to film an advertisement with local children, exploring the extraordinary power of wind and sunshine. Watch the video below.

Ad- Watch as the renowned food writer and environmental campaigner is joined by local primary school children on site to explore the power of wind and sunshine – and have some fun along the way!

School trip to the future with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

[1] Refers to Thrive’s impact portfolio – total electricity generation of the portfolio adjusted for Thrive’s proportion of ownership, plus the projects Thrive is funding
[2] Calculated using the most recent statistics from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) showing that UK average domestic household consumption is 3,301kWh per annum (1,650kWh for a half year)
[3] Carbon reduction is calculated by multiplying the total amount of renewable electricity generated by Thrive’s impact portfolio in the first half of 2025 by the number of tonnes of carbon which fossil fuels would have produced to generate the same amount of electricity. We have used DESNZ’s “all non-renewable fuels” emissions statistic of 437 tonnes of carbon dioxide per GWh of electricity supplied from the Digest of UK Energy Statistics (July 2024) Table 5.14 (“Estimated carbon dioxide emissions from electricity supplied”). Additionally, we include a conservative estimate of the carbon saved through operating our BESS projects.
[4] Based on June generation figure of 2,230 MWh and calculated using the most recent statistics from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero showing that UK average domestic household consumption is 3,301 kWh per annum (275 kWh for 1 month) (<a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6763dd7ebe7b2c675de30820/Subnational-electricity-and-gas-consumption-summary-report-2023.pdf">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6763dd7ebe7b2c675de30820/Subnational-electricity-and-gas-consumption-summary-report-2023.pdf</a>)

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We’re continuing to diversify the portfolio with the addition of a 10MW solar farm and new collaborative funding facility for community energy projects.

Half year results 2025 – strong progress made on growth plan

Featured

Since certifying as a B Corp in 2020, we’ve spent the past five years working with communities, businesses and individuals to increase our positive impact on people and planet. And after recertifying in 2024, we are now proud to sit in the top 3% of all UK B Corps for our commitment to social and environmental justice. Below are 10 key highlights from our B Corp journey so far:

Thrive’s corporate structure is ‘mission locked’ meaning that we were founded specifically to deliver a positive outcome for people and planet – bringing people together to fund and deliver clean energy projects that tackle climate change.  As an ethical business, it was particularly important for us to undergo external assessment of our performance. We became a B Corp in 2020 with a score of 110.8, the highest scoring renewable energy company in the UK B Corp community at that time.  And for two years running in 2021 and 2022, we were proud to be awarded B Corp’s ‘Best for the World’ status, scoring in the top 5% of Global B Corps for our impact on the environment. 

'Best for the World'

In April 2024, we recertified as a B Corp with a twenty-point impact score increase to 131, smashing our original target of 120. Core areas of the business that we’ve focused on include environmental reporting and supply chain due diligence. We also reduced business emissions by nearly 20% in 2023 compared to the previous year, plus  significantly increased energy efficiency in our office- for example overhauling the lighting to an intelligent system of LEDs that are using over 60% less energy. 

Recertifying in top 3% of UK B Corps  

With the wind blowing and the sun shining, in 2022 we welcomed over 500 people to our Avonmouth wind farm in Bristol to see the turbines up close and learn more about renewables. As part of Thrive’s 30th birthday celebrations, in 2024 we hosted another open day at Caton Moor wind farm in Lancashire. Last year it was also great to invite the local nursery school to our Feeder Road battery project in Bristol, to explore the new nature area on site.  

Hosting open days for communities near our projects 

Through our annual Community Benefit Programme, we provide energy efficiency grants to community centres near our projects to make improvements such as insulation and heating upgrades. 2023 was a record year for the programme, as we were able to award over £37,000 to community buildings across the UK, helping them reduce their energy costs and carbon footprint, whilst boosting comfort and warmth.   

Helping community centres cut carbon and costs

Community

We believe in putting people at the heart of the energy transition. In 2022 we helped fund England’s largest onshore wind turbine, which is also wholly owned by the local community. Recently, we launched Community Energy Catalyst - a £40 million funding partnership with Better Society Capital which offers flexible funding for community groups to build their own clean energy projects or take a stake in part of a larger project in their area.  

Helping local people take a stake in clean energy  

Through on-site renewables, we also empower businesses to take an active role in the clean energy transition – helping them cut carbon and costs. One of our direct wire projects – a 1.5MW wind turbine in Cambridgeshire – provides one of the UK’s leading suppliers of potatoes with local clean power. As a result, Greenvale AP can better manage their operational costs and differentiate themselves in a competitive market. 

Supporting UK businesses to decarbonise 

Customers 

So far, Thrive has built and/or funded 45 clean energy projects – including wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and battery storage. To date, the portfolio has generated over 2 million MWh of clean electricity and avoided the emission of over 1 million tonnes of CO2e. Now we’re pressing on with plans to double generation capacity in the next five years.  

Reducing UK emissions 

We do as much as we can to conserve and enhance biodiversity at our sites, going beyond legal requirements. For example, after commissioning Feeder Road battery project in Bristol in 2023, we introduced a range of biodiversity measures aimed at providing animals with more places to nest and shelter – including building a number of bird, bat and insect boxes, plus planting trees, species rich grassland, shade scrub and native ferns to strengthen local habitat corridors. 

Enhancing biodiversity at our clean energy projects  

Environment

We’re committed to supporting and inspiring the next generation to get into green careers by hosting educational visits for schools and university students. For example, in 2024 we hosted an insight day at our Avonmouth wind farm for Babbasa, a Bristol based social enterprise empowering young people from ethnically diverse and less advantaged communities to realise their professional aspirations.  

Championing green careers  

One of the best parts of being a B Corp is the opportunity to connect with other like-minded businesses. Every March, for ‘B Corp month’ we engage with local B Corps across the South West at events such as Purposefest, to celebrate and spread awareness of the movement. In 2025, we invited a few B Corps from Bristol and the surrounding areas to our Avonmouth wind farm to share how they’re using business to build a better tomorrow for people and planet.  

Collaborating with other purpose-driven businesses 

Workers

We invited local B Corps to our Avonmouth wind farm to share what they're doing in business to deliver positive social and environmental impact. 

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Celebrating B Corp Month 2025

Newsletter CTA

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Bristol & Bath B Corps B

Here are some key moments from our B Corp journey so far.  

Take 10 – celebrating a decade of B Corp

As part of the project, Thrive has committed to a Community Benefit Fund providing £50,000 annually for local projects, with an advance payment of £100,000 at the start of turbine construction. £100,000 will also go towards improving recreational access at the former Mynydd Maerdy Colliery and £120,000 in community benefits linked to the turbine delivery route.   
We’re currently in advanced discussions with Community Energy Wales to explore opportunities for local people to take a stake in the wind farm.  
Abergorki Wind Farm is a development of three wind turbines on Mynydd Maerdy, above the Rhondda Valley, in Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. The plans were originally brought forward by renewable energy developer, REG Power Management, and approved by the local council in 2015.  
Thrive acquired the rights to the site in 2024 and we’re planning to build the project over the next two years. Once operational it will be capable of producing up to 40 GWh of clean electricity per year, the equivalent of powering around 12,447 average Welsh homes.  
In the run up to construction, we’ve launched a new website (<a href="https://abergorkiwindfarm.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AbergorkiWindFarm.co.uk</a>) which will keep the local community informed about the plans and progress. It will also be updated with details of an upcoming community event for people to ask any questions, with an opportunity to sign up for email updates throughout the construction phase.

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Once operational, the wind farm will generate enough clean electricity to power over 12,000 Welsh homes a year.

Construction of Abergorki wind farm to start next year

<h2>“Renewables are costly and intermittent. They’ll never be able to meet the UK’s energy demands.”</h2>
In 2024, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/02/uk-electricity-cleanest-ever-in-2024-with-record-58-from-low-carbon-sources" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over half of the UK’s electricity was generated from renewables</a>. We also have access to some of the world’s best wind resource, so it’s no surprise that wind was the top source of electricity generation. What happens when sun or wind is lacking? The development of technologies such as battery storage help to stabilise the peaks and troughs in consumer demand, supporting a consistent supply. This combined with hydro, tidal and geothermal has the potential to provide 24/7 baseload power – and that can be used to keep essential things like lights and appliances running. We’re also seeing a shift towards a smarter grid, with some energy suppliers now offering consumer incentives to encourage a shift in usage patterns that help balance out supply and demand.
It’s important to remember that all energy sources could be called ‘unreliable’. Access to fossil fuels is dependent on a wide variety of geopolitical, economic and social factors – issues that are often out of our control. Just look at the events following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The UK experienced huge spikes in the cost of energy due to our overreliance on imported oil and gas, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/mar/28/uk-bill-payers-still-vulnerable-to-another-energy-crisis-watchdog-warns#:~:text=The%20conflict%20caused%20household%20energy,2021%2C%20according%20to%20the%20PAC." target="_blank" rel="noopener">pushing an estimated 238,000 households into fuel poverty and causing energy debts to rocket to £3.7 billion last year from £1.8 billion in 2021</a>. As well as generating clean electricity, homegrown renewables are key to greater energy security and independence.
<h2>“Wind turbines aren’t green – the construction emits tonnes of carbon emissions and then they just end up in landfill.”</h2>
Wind turbines pay back all of the carbon produced during their 25 to 30-year lifetime, and they do so <a href="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6798bfee7da7f37163ec22fb/67adbec26912a8c8ba9afe10_Onshore%20Renewable%20Energy%20Common%20Myths.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">within about seven months of operation</a>. Currently, 85 to 90 per cent of wind turbine materials are also recyclable, and we see this improving further as technology continues to evolve. There are some great examples of turbine repurposing. For example, we repurposed the 22-year-old blades on our Sigurd wind turbine in Orkney, working with a local company, ReBlade, to turn them into EV charging stations and bike shelters, amongst other things.
<h2>“Wind and solar farms are destroying our landscape and its natural biodiversity.”</h2>
Although some people may not like how wind or solar farms look, climate change poses one of the largest long-term threats to nature. It’s vital that we stop burning fossil fuels and replace them with renewable energy sources that will help keep the planet liveable for the generations to come.
Research shows that clean energy projects can actually enhance site biodiversity over their lifetime. In fact, a well-managed solar farm can become a haven for wildlife – providing a unique opportunity to introduce diverse plant life that supports nature and attracts vital pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
<a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/news/solar-farms-managed-for-nature-boost-bird-numbers-and-biodiversity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scientists from the RSPB and University of Cambridge</a> have also found that, in some areas, UK solar farms are also helping boost bird numbers by nearly three times compared to arable farmland. And let’s not forget that agricultural livestock, like sheep, can graze alongside solar panels, meaning farmers can also benefit from projects hosted on their land.
What you might not know is that the owners of wind and solar farms are legally required to deliver at least a 10% increase in on-site biodiversity, with many (like Thrive) aiming to go beyond this target to further enhance local wildlife. For example, at our Feeder Road battery storage site, we’ve introduced more places for animals to nest and shelter by installing bird, bat and invertebrate boxes. Plus, planted trees, hedgerows and species rich grassland to strengthen local habitat corridors.

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MEANMOOR

Tired of deceiving headlines? Worried about misinformation spreading on social media? Here’s how you can set the record straight on renewables.  

Fact vs fiction: How to debunk common wind and solar power myths

Government research suggests that 13,700 people who were out of work in 2024 possess many of the skills required for key roles in the clean energy sector, such as engineering and skilled trades like building and construction. This could have a significant impact on communities across the UK, especially those that have been directly impacted by the decline in fossil fuel generation.
“Communities have long been calling out for a new generation of good industrial jobs. The clean energy jobs boom can answer that call […] Our plans will help create an economy in which there is no need to leave your hometown just to find a decent job. Thanks to this government’s commitment to clean energy, a generation of young people in our industrial heartlands can have well-paid secure jobs, from plumbers to electricians and welders.” – Ed Miliband, Energy Secretary
As a business operating within the renewable energy space, we are aware of the huge increase in skills needed to deliver the clean energy system of the future and wholeheartedly agree that the focus needs to be on both the current and future workforce. In fact, <a href="https://www.greencareershub.com/green-future/green-skills/">a 2024 survey by LinkedIn</a> found that “by 2050, there will be twice as many jobs requiring green skills as people qualified to fill them if today’s trends continue.”
At Thrive, as well as advocating for the transfer of skills from the oil and gas sector, we actively encourage students to consider the benefits of choosing a green career. In the past, this has included engagement days with social enterprises like Babassa, which helps young adults to realise their employment, enterprise and academic ambitions, irrespective of where they live, their nationality, ethnicity, gender, race, sexuality or faith. We also offer a summer internship to university undergraduates looking to understand more about the clean energy sector, supporting their exploration in areas such as IT, finance and investment.
With progress being made towards a more supportive policy framework, we sat down with several Thrive team members to find out what they love about working in sustainability and how we, as an industry, can support more workers to find their place within the evolving green economy.
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<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-2406 size-medium" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Thrive-Open-Day-2022-69-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Thrive-Open-Day-2022-69-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Thrive-Open-Day-2022-69-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Thrive-Open-Day-2022-69-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Thrive-Open-Day-2022-69-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Thrive-Open-Day-2022-69-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Who are you and what’s your role at Thrive?
Monika Paplaczyk, Chief Investment Officer – I lead the investment team in the originating, development, acquisition and construction of Thrive’s projects, as well as manage the commercial aspects of the portfolio.
What made you choose renewable energy? 
After finishing my Masters degree (focused on sustainability), I joined a boutique consultancy in Edinburgh, Euro Access, specialising in accessing grant funding for infrastructure projects. I attended All-Energy in 2006 (which has since become one of the UK’s biggest renewable trade shows) and realised that joining the energy industry would be an excellent opportunity to apply my business and practical skills, as well as my interest in impact. The development of renewable projects like wind and solar also help to address inequalities in disadvantaged and rural communities, improving the economic outlook through the creation of new jobs.
What needs to be done to support more people in entering a green career?
I am particularly passionate about supporting more women to enter STEM subjects and jobs. For me, this starts with creating and encouraging more girls to join STEM programmes from a young age, as well as having better representation of successful women in STEM fields in the media. There was a great episode of the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0f0k1fs">Big Green Money Show</a> where it followed a young woman who left behind a six-year career in hairdressing for a new life working on an offshore wind project. As an industry, there’s more we should be doing to ensure the next generation see examples that they can relate and aspire to – it can be as easy as using social media to champion female colleagues, engaging with a mentoring scheme or challenging gender biases in hiring and leadership.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-8939 alignleft" src="/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/43-scaled-e1752835474669-300x202.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="202" srcset="https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/43-scaled-e1752835474669-300x202.jpg 300w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/43-scaled-e1752835474669-1024x690.jpg 1024w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/43-scaled-e1752835474669-768x517.jpg 768w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/43-scaled-e1752835474669-1536x1034.jpg 1536w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/43-scaled-e1752835474669-2048x1379.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Who are you and what’s your role at Thrive? 
David Matheson, Senior Sustainability Analyst – I lead on measuring, monitoring, and enhancing Thrive’s environmental and social impact, overseeing our net zero and biodiversity strategies, and manage Thrive’s B Corp commitment.
What made you choose renewable energy?
I am driven by a desire to address real-world sustainability challenges. With a background in Conservation Biology and Ecology, I began my career in ecological consultancy before joining Thrive to focus on sustainability in a renewables context. Transitioning into the renewables sector broadened my expertise whilst allowing me to continue applying my ecological knowledge, particularly when working on the biodiversity strategies for our project sites. It’s incredibly rewarding to be a part of a sector that not only reduces our reliance on fossil fuels, but also provides opportunities to engage communities and contribute towards nature recovery too.
What needs to be done to support more people in entering a green career?
When I was choosing my A Levels, I was fortunate to be able to take Environmental Science as a subject. I really loved how it connected science with real world sustainability challenges, and it inspired me to pursue a career that would play a role in addressing these global issues. It deepened my understanding of the pressures facing the natural world and was quite a pivotal moment in my career journey. I believe educating people on these issues in an applied, problem-solving context like this can inspire them to get started on their path towards a green career. But by itself it isn’t enough – to really give people the chance to align their careers with the green transition, we need to offer them better career guidance, mentorship and hands on experience. This includes young people but importantly, it also needs to consider those who are looking to switch from existing careers into green jobs as the energy transition progresses.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-9304" src="https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2-300x200.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Who are you and what’s your role at Thrive?
Alex Lomax, Communications Manager – I am responsible for driving awareness of who Thrive is and what we do, ensuring that all activity aligns with our brand and mission of empowering people to come together and take action against the climate emergency.
What made you choose renewable energy?
I had been working in PR and communications for several years and had got to a point where I wanted the stories that I was telling to reflect more of my own values. I’d been working on a global clean energy podcast in a previous role and really enjoyed it. From then, I knew that I wanted to use my skills to help accelerate the transition here in the UK.
What needs to be done to support more people in entering a green career?
We need to be clarifying what “green skills” means before people start entering the job market. Working in renewable energy, for example, doesn’t have to mean being a turbine engineer or solar panel installer. You might be an excellent collaborator, able to communicate well, or think critically – all these skills are needed and can be applied to a wide variety of roles, from project manager through to web developer. I think it’s important that career guidance supports students to be aware of and understand the breadth of roles that are available to them under the ‘green jobs’ umbrella – something I didn’t have when leaving college or university.
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The Government has announced a national plan to train people for an extra 400,000 green jobs in the next five years. 

Clean Energy Jobs Plan – the future of the workforce is green

An on-site mixing plant was used to reduce vehicle use in the local area and boost efficiency. Construction materials for the civil works have also been sourced locally. The works are being headed up by Scottish based construction company I &amp; H Brown.

Whitelaw Brae is on track to start generating clean electricity by 2026. Once operational, it will be capable of generating enough clean electricity for around 45,000 homes a year.

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Construction of our 57MW onshore wind farm has reached a new milestone.  

Foundations for a greener future: bases laid for Whitelaw Brae - our biggest project yet

Last week the Climate Change Committee warned that we must prepare for a world hotter than 2°C by 2050. But we’re already seeing an increase in extreme weather events. The physical impacts of climate change cost the global economy at least <a href="https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4520285/study-annual-climate-losses-rise-fold-century-usd14tr-last">$1.4 trillion last year</a> and have risen 10-fold since the turn of the century.  
Without new renewables in the UK, we’ll continue to import billions of pounds worth of gas to meet the rising demand for electricity, priced on volatile international markets, leaving billpayers exposed to unnecessarily high prices. In 2022, we saw the single biggest energy subsidy in the UK’s history when the Government spent <a href="https://obr.uk/box/the-cost-of-the-governments-energy-support-policies/">over £40 billion subsidising the cost of gas</a> to shield consumers from skyrocketing bills.  
And let’s not forget that gas resources are finite. According to RenewableUK, if the UK were to meet its rapidly increasing electricity demand in the coming decade without new renewables, it would need to more than double its gas imports. There is no credible way the UK could source this gas through additional North Sea extraction. Even if every potential North Sea discovery was brought into production, it is estimated that this <a href="https://www.renewableuk.com/news-and-resources/blog/can-north-sea-oil-and-gas-really-power-britain-s-future/">would only be sufficient to meet between 5% and 10% of the country’s electricity demand</a> by the early 2030s.  
In contrast, renewables provide a homegrown, low cost means to meet rising demand. Wind and solar offer a stable price of electricity, unlike gas, which changes based on the international market. But because of the UK’s current market pricing system, gas sets electricity prices in the UK so billpayers don’t benefit. Research suggests that reducing emissions by 87% by 2040 <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/ccc-reducing-emissions-87-by-2040-would-help-cut-household-costs-by-1400/">could help cut household costs by £1,400</a>. And wind and solar are already supplying a large chunk of our electricity demand. Last year renewables provided more than half of the UK’s electricity needs, with wind generating around 30% of total demand.  
Not to mention the huge economic opportunity we’d be missing out on by dampening net zero ambitions – the UK’s wind industry alone <a href="https://www.renewableuk.com/news-and-resources/publications/wind-industry-skills-intelligence-report-2025/">employs around 55,000 people</a> in high value jobs, a figure that is expected to rise to over 110,000 by 2030. And just this week the government announced plans to create an extra 400,000 clean energy jobs by the end of the decade. It’s also estimated that over the past ten years <a href="https://www.renewableuk.com/news-and-resources/press-releases/uk-wind-industry-celebrates-decade-of-growth-with-nearly-2-000-companies-now-in-the-sector-s-supply-chain/">more than £550 million</a> has already been locally invested through Community Benefit Funds (payments made by developers of renewable energy infrastructure to the local community). This figure is expected to rise to £150 million annually if Government ambitions to 2030 are met.  
Tackling climate change comes with costs, but what we can see here is that the price of inaction is likely to prove far greater. The cost of adapting to rising sea levels and other climate impacts, plus the disruption of dealing with man-made ‘natural disasters’, will dwarf the opportunity to implement net zero. So, amongst the noise let’s not lose sight of the huge opportunity we have to build a cleaner, more prosperous future for people and planet.

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 Amongst growing controversy about the cost of net zero, we examine the even greater cost of climate inaction.  

Scrap net zero? Here’s what it will cost

It feels really special to be recognised by such a credible source of information globally for our integrity, diligence and innovative approach to delivering environmental and social impact &#8211; and against some really tough competition! This year there were over 800 applicants from across 40 countries. As well as smaller sized businesses like us, it was great to see so many large corporations nominated – showing that despite some of the anti-ESG rhetoric and high profile greenwashing cases we’ve seen of late, there are still many large corporations working hard to deliver positive change for people and the environment.

Watch below to hear Thrive’s feedback from one of the judges.

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Sustainability Awards-17

Winning Responsible Investor of the Year

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Reuters award win

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Reuters Global Sustainability Awards 2025

Proud to be recognised for our impact on people and planet in a global forum.

We did it! Responsible Investor of the Year at Reuters Global Sustainability Awards

Our <a href="https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Thrive-Climate-Report-2024-FINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">latest climate report</a> shows good progress on our path to net zero.. Highlights include: 
<ul>
<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="4" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Maintained our scope 1 and 2 emissions at zero (down from a baseline of 2.8 tCO2e in 2019).  </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">For the third year running, we have reported comprehensive emissions estimates across our 7 relevant scope 3 categories, which include all areas relating to the construction and operation of our sustainable energy sites.  </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Reduced the carbon intensity of our business travel by a further 14% in 2024 compared to 2023. In 2024 80% of our business miles were travelled by train.   </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Calculated our avoided emissions (sometimes referred to as scope 4) to illustrate the wider carbon impact of the business.  </li>
</ul>
Emission reductions are the emissions ‘avoided’ from the operation of our portfolio of clean energy projects. 
&nbsp;
 <img decoding="async" src="/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EmissionsGraph2024.png" />
2022 and 2024 were very successful years in terms of project development, reflected in our reported emissions, which included the construction footprint of three new clean energy projects in both years. By comparison in 2023, our reported emissions only include the construction of one small rooftop project. Despite this yearly variation in our highest emissions area, it is useful to see how much greater our avoided emissions are in any given year.  
We also maximise the amount of clean electricity generated by older projects through repair and overhaul activities. In late 2024, we replaced the nacelle and blades of Ness Point wind turbine, after nearly 20 years of operation. Although this was Thrive’s most significant overhaul in 2024, the associated carbon footprint reflected a strategic investment toward achieving future emission reductions consistent with our climate-positive mission. The avoided emissions from the turbine’s generation in the last two months of 2024 were over five times greater than the footprint of the overhaul itself, and the turbine is expected to continue to operate reliably for many years to come.

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Our positive contribution to reducing UK emissions far outweighs our carbon footprint. But we take responsibility for the emissions we make in the course of our operations. 

Scope 1 & 2 emissions stay at zero and travel emissions drop again – dive into our latest climate report

Thrive is proud to have played a pioneering role in accelerating the energy transition, bringing communities and individuals with us as we grow- recently ranking number 9 in Insider Media&#8216;s Mid Market 100 Profit Tracker.   
Read the full article with InsiderMedia <a href="https://www.insidermedia.com/news/north-eastsouth-westnational/insiders-mid-market-profit-tracker-the-south-west-businesses-powering-growth-across-the-uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

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Thrive Renewables

Read the full interview with InsiderMedia, as Thrive ranks number nine in their Mid Market 100 Profit Tracker.  

“It’s just the rational solution”: our CEO reflects on 30 years accelerating renewables rollout

An expansion of the highly respected Global Good Awards, these new award categories recognise the role of financial sector leadership in sustainable and ethical practices.
One of the comments from the judging panel included:
“It is inspiring to see how the team at Thrive Renewables has developed and funded community energy projects in partnership with others, often in the face of headwinds for the sector. It is also impressive to see how Thrive has sought to support the wider sector by producing guidance for community energy projects. The team deserves recognition for its achievements in enabling renewable energy projects of various kinds through its innovative approach to financing.”
As you may have seen from <a href="/news/2025/09/half-year-results-2025-strong-progress-made-on-growth-plan">our recent half year results</a>, we’ve had a particularly busy 12 months. This includes the acquisition of three new projects, including our biggest project to date – a 57MW onshore wind farm in Scotland, and partnering with Better Society Capital on a £40 million joint venture to fund community-owned wind and solar projects.

The evening was a brilliant celebration of sustainable business, and we were so inspired to hear about the other brilliant companies and initiatives recognised on the night (shout out to our friends over at Triodos Bank UK which took home gold for Finance Trailblazer of the Year!). It was also great to see the awards living and breathing its values, maintaining its seven-year tradition of exclusively plant-based catering, encouraging preloved attire, and actively discouraging air travel for attendees wherever possible.
Since 2018, the Global Good Awards has maintained its &#8216;Outstanding&#8217; accreditation from the Awards Trust Mark – the first awards programme globally to achieve this distinction – reflecting its dedication to the highest standards of integrity and openness.

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Meet our award-winning team! Recognising the role of sustainable finance at the Global Good Awards

The report comes as the world recognised Global Goals Week last week, an event aiming to drive action, awareness, and accountability around the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
What are the SDGs? 
Adopted by all United Nations member countries in 2015, <a href="http://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda">the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development</a> provides ‘a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future’. Centred around 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it acts as an urgent call for action by all countries as part of a global partnership, focusing on issues such as hunger, education, affordable and clean energy and industry, innovation and infrastructure.
“The goals recognise that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.”
A central commitment of the SDGs is to Leave No One Behind, ensuring that development progress reaches the most vulnerable and marginalised populations. The UK Government is responsible for achieving these goals domestically and for supporting their attainment internationally.
How is the world progressing with SDGs?
Every year, the UN Secretary General presents an annual SDG Progress report, based on the global indicator framework and data and information collected at a national and regional level.
Unfortunately, <a href="https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2025.pdf">according to the 2025 report</a>, the world remains far off track from achieving the 2030 Agenda, with 48% of targets assigned to the SDGs showing insufficient progress. It is positive to see considerable progress on Goal 7 – affordable and clean energy – however, with global electricity access reaching 92% in 2023, up from 84% in 2010.  Renewable energy is also the fastest-growing energy source today and is projected to overtake coal as the world’s top source of electricity by “2026 at the latest”, according to <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/iea-renewables-will-be-worlds-top-power-source-by-2026/">new forecasts from the International Energy Agency</a> (IEA).
Although more needs to be done to accelerate renewable deployment globally, with a particular focus on how we ensure that the disparities between developed and developing countries do not deepen further, the report concludes that “transformation is possible when we combine proven strategies with political courage and adequate resources. The SDGs remain as vital and achievable as ever, but only when we match the ambition of the 2030 Agenda with the urgency and unity this decisive moment demands.”
How is Thrive delivering against the SDGs? 
As an impact-driven business, we are always looking at how we can be a force for good. Thrive was set up in 1994, putting money to work build new sustainable energy projects and empower people to take action to address the climate emergency.
To keep us accountable, we measure our impact using the SDG Action Manager, developed by the United Nations Global Compact and B Lab, which oversees the B Corp certification. The tool enables us to analyse operations, policies and business models in terms of both positive impact and risks relating to the SDGs most relevant to the business. Below is an overview of our performance for the last full year.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-8684 size-full" src="/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/SDG-graph.png" alt="" width="1660" height="1028" srcset="https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/SDG-graph.png 1660w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/SDG-graph-300x186.png 300w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/SDG-graph-1024x634.png 1024w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/SDG-graph-768x476.png 768w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/SDG-graph-1536x951.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1660px) 100vw, 1660px" />
In 2024, Thrive continued to perform above average across all the UNSDGs that are relevant to our business. Compared to the UK average, our score is particularly high for five of these goals reflecting the core purpose of the business – funding and building clean energy infrastructure to help tackle climate change. We also performed above average for SDG 16 ‘Peace, justice and strong institutions’, reflecting our commitment to business as a force for good, incorporating transparency, robust reporting and high standards of governance.
We believe that we must all play our part in the transition to a cleaner, fairer future and would encourage other businesses to explore how they can accelerate action, scale and the mainstreaming of best practices, innovation and ambition to support the achievement of the SDGs.

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