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The capital raised will help fund two new wind farms in Scotland and Wales, and provide funding to enable communities to build and own their own local projects.
<a href="https://www.triodoscrowdfunding.co.uk/invest/thrive-renewables-plc-2026" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find out more and invest</a>
You will need to register for Triodos Bank’s crowdfunding platform to access the offer document.
Thrive is one of the UK’s top crowdfunded companies, raising £63 million so far which we have used to fund 45 wind, solar and hydro projects across the UK. Backed by a community of over 6,000 shareholders, we enable individual and impact-driven institutional investors to put their money to work to make a difference and generate a fair return. This new bond offer will allow investors looking for both a financial and social return to back new renewable energy projects that help tackle the climate emergency and support local communities.
The five year bond has a minimum investment of £25, paying 5.5% gross interest per year, and is eligible to be held in the Triodos Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA), that allows interest to be received tax-free. Interest payments and repayment of capital are not guaranteed. Like all ISAs, the Innovative Finance ISA is subject to eligibility criteria and tax treatment depends on individual circumstances. ISA eligibility does not guarantee returns or protect consumers from losing their money.
In 2023 we announced our ambition to double generation capacity within five years, and we are already developing the projects we need to achieve this. Funds raised from the bond will help construct our largest project yet – a 14 turbine, 57MW onshore wind farm in the Scottish Borders. Once operational, the project will be capable of generating up to 149,400 MWh of clean electricity per year, the equivalent of powering around 45,000 average UK homes, and delivering 65,300 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions reductions annually.
The bond will also help to fund the development of Abergorki wind farm in Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. The three-turbine project is expected to begin operating in 2027 and will be capable of generating up to 40,000 MWh of clean electricity per year, the equivalent of powering over 12,400 average Welsh homes.

In 2016 Thrive raised £13 million through two bond offers – one of which was the UK’s first bond offer to be made available through an Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA). Projects funded by the offers are still generating clean electricity today, with both bonds repaid as planned in 2021 and 2024.
Now open, our first bond offer since 2016 will help us build new wind farms that will help sustainably power the equivalent of over 57,000 more homes.

<ul>
<li>Target amount: £5 million as part of a wider £10 million raise</li>
<li>Term: Five years with 5.5% gross interest, paid annually in arrears. Payment of interest and repayment of capital are not guaranteed.</li>
<li>Minimum investment: £25</li>
<li>Closing date: 16 April 2026, unless fully subscribed earlier or the offer is extended</li>
<li>Offer document: <a href="https://www.triodoscrowdfunding.co.uk/invest/thrive-renewables-plc-2026" target="_blank" rel="noopener">triodoscrowdfunding.co.uk</a> (applications only via platform)</li>
<li>Eligible to held in a Triodos Innovative Finance ISA, which means that interest would be paid gross. Like all ISAs, the Innovative Finance ISA is subject to eligibility criteria and tax treatment depends on individual circumstances. ISA eligibility does not guarantee returns or protect consumers from losing their money.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.triodoscrowdfunding.co.uk/invest/thrive-renewables-plc-2026" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find out more and invest</a>

Key terms of the bond

You should read the offer document in full—including the risks section—before deciding whether to invest. Investing in the bond is not the same as depositing money in a bank account as your capital is at risk and you may not get back the full amount that you invested. An investment in the bond is not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. If you are unsure as to the suitability of the investment, you should contact an independent financial advisor. 
If you have any questions or need further information, please send a secure message through the Triodos Bank crowdfunding platform once you’ve registered or ring Triodos Bank on 0330 355 0355.
This financial promotion was approved on 10 February 2026 by Triodos Bank UK Limited, registered in England and Wales with no. 11379025. Registered Office: Deanery Road, Bristol BS1 5AS, United Kingdom. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 817008.

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Chris Watt Photography_324

We’re raising funds to build new clean energy projects and finance more community energy.  

New bond offer open – help us develop and build two new wind farms

Featured

Capable of generating over 7,000MWh of clean electricity a year, the equivalent of powering more than 2,000 average Scottish homes [2], the 2.5MW community turbine will deliver over 3,000 tonnes of carbon emissions reductions annually [3].  
This is the first project to be funded by Community Energy Catalyst (CEC), Thrive’s joint venture with Better Society Capital. Thrive initially provided a £4 million loan to Attix CIC in 2023 to fund construction and operation and this was transferred to CEC in July 2025. 
Now operational, Kilbirnie wind turbine will directly benefit local causes, with all profits from electricity sales going into Radio City’s programme of sustainable development projects that address the need for capital investment in a new Employment Hub, offering employment and training opportunities for local people, improve sustainable transport opportunities and help to address health and educational inequalities locally, as well as upgrading local sports and recreational facilities [4]. 
It will also support the charity’s ongoing work to address the substantial fuel poverty in its community through assistance with energy vouchers, distribution of halogen heaters and electric blankets, as well as and one to one advice to combat and reduce peoples’ energy bills.

This watershed moment for community energy follows the UK Government and Great British Energy publishing its Local Power Plan this month, aiming to invest £1 billion in locally owned clean energy projects and ensure communities directly benefit from the schemes they host [5].

The collaborative approach to funding the wind turbine provides a blueprint for financing the community-led energy transition from the ground up. It brings together £5.6 million in blended finance – £1.6 million in social investment from Social Investment Scotland and £4 million from Community Energy Catalyst. Local Energy Scotland supported the project through planning and design with a loan from the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES). The project has also received a combination of Great British Energy and Scottish Government grant funding via CARES.

[1] The project operates on a ‘merchant’ basis selling electricity on a purely commercial basis, without government price support mechanisms such as Contracts for Difference or historic Feed-in Tariffs. 
[2] Calculated using the most recent subnational statistics from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) showing that average domestic household consumption in Scotland is 3,429.3kWh per annum. 
[3] Carbon reduction is calculated by multiplying the estimated annual generation (7GWh) by the number of tonnes of carbon which fossil fuels would produce to generate the same amount of electricity. We have used DESNZ’s “all non-renewable fuels” emissions statistic of 448 tonnes of carbon dioxide per GWh of electricity supplied from the Digest of UK Energy Statistics (July 2025) Table 5.14 (“Estimated carbon dioxide emissions from electricity supplied”). 
[4] ATTIX CIC is a Community Interest Company established, and asset locked to Radio City Association Ltd to develop the community turbine in Kilbirnie. 
[5] According to its recent strategic plan, Great British Energy (GBE) plans to support over 1,000 community energy groups to take a stake in the UK energy transition.

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Radio City team in cafe

Landmark community project in Scotland, which Thrive helped fund, is now generating clean energy locally, creating blueprint for national rollout. 

Kilbirnie community wind turbine enters commercial operation

Having provided the first commercial funding for United Downs in 2020, followed by further investment in 2023 and 2025 to complete construction, we’re really proud to see the landmark project come to life.  
The project is owned and operated by Geothermal Engineering Limited (GEL) and will provide 24/7 home-grown baseload power, helping to boost energy security by reducing our reliance on imported balancing power to complement wind and solar. 
In another UK first, GEL has started commercial scale production of sustainable lithium carbonate, the key raw material used in the production of rechargeable batteries, including those that power electricity vehicles and energy storage systems. From its February 2026 starting point, United Downs has the capacity to produce 100 tonnes per annum.

The well at United Downs that produces the geothermal fluid for power and lithium is over 5km deep – the deepest well ever drilled on UK soil. It taps into water exceeding 190°C &#8211; the hottest recorded in the UK. After power generation, the fluid is processed to produce technical grade lithium carbonate before being reinjected back underground. The water brought to the surface contains over 340 parts per million (ppm) of lithium, making it one of the highest concentrations found in any well to date in the world. GEL aims to scale its production to over 18,000 tpa over the next decade, enough for circa 250,000 EV batteries a year – 65% of the UK’s 2024 Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) registrations. 
GEL has two other sites currently under development in Cornwall, which will deliver a further 10 MW of base-load geothermal power in the UK by 2030. The British Geological Survey has calculated that more than 200 GW of baseload (24/7) electricity could be produced from onshore geothermal sources. That is the equivalent of over 100 nuclear power stations.

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Cornwall Time Lapse

The landmark project in Cornwall will also deliver the UK’s first commercial scale sustainable lithium.  

UK generates first ever geothermal electricity at United Downs

The two 2.5MW turbines, which were previously owned by RWE, are central to the plan to revitalise one of the UK’s pioneering wind farm locations. Burgar Hill was home to some of the world’s first multi- megawatt wind turbines and acted as a crucial testbed for onshore wind in the 1980s. It’s also home to one of Thrive’s oldest wind turbines – Sigurd &#8211; which has been operational since the early 2000s.  
Subject to obtaining necessary planning consents, <a href="http://www.burgarhillenergy.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the repowering project</a> is expected to have an installed generation capacity of up to 30MW which would deliver an estimated £150,000 in annual community benefits each year, aiming to create a lasting positive impact for surrounding communities.

In 2023 Thrive replaced the blades on our Sigurd turbine on Burgar Hill, which had reached the end of their life, working with ReBlade to repurpose them into useful items like bike shelters and EV charging stations &#8211; becoming one of the first UK companies to decommission wind turbine blades using circular economy principles.

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Wind farm site at Burgar Hill, Orkney (1)

A crucial next step in plans to revitalise one of the UK’s pioneering wind farm locations.  

Thrive’s joint venture, Burgar Hill Energy, acquires two turbines as part of proposed 30MW repowering project in Orkney

Here are some of the commitments we’re most pleased to see:
<h4>“Bottom-up” approach to the energy transition</h4>
Thrive was established 30 years ago to nurture and develop a bottom-up, peopled-powered approach to the energy transition, bringing together individuals, organisations and communities to get new clean energy projects built. So needless to say, we’re really pleased to see the vision of a people-powered energy system outlined in the Local Power Plan. More than just wires and turbines, community energy is power that is owned and controlled by communities themselves, where the benefits stay local. It’s energy by the people, for the people. We know this approach works – projects like the Ambition Community Energy (ACE) wind turbine, which is name-checked in the plan, are evidence of that. The ACE turbine in Bristol which Thrive helped fund is doing more than just deliver megawatts – as proud owners of England’s largest onshore wind turbine, it’s giving local residents in Lawrence Weston an active role in transforming the UK’s energy system, whilst providing a new local revenue stream.

Imagine what the impact could be if we could have the equivalent of an ACE turbine in every neighbourhood across the UK? That‘s the government’s ambition by 2030 – let’s hope it delivers.
<h4>Support for shared ownership</h4>
It’s encouraging to see a commitment to boosting shared ownership – enabling communities to take a stake in clean energy projects in their area. Shared ownership gives communities access to projects that are expertly developed and ready to go, including larger projects with more secure revenue streams.  Depending on the size of their stake, communities may have the opportunity to influence how a project operates. Since offering shared ownership in our first ever wind farm in the 90s, we’ve been committed to helping communities take ownership of energy on their doorstep. Now we’ve offering the community a share of every new project we acquire &#8211; currently exploring shared ownership opportunities at Dunmow solar farm in Essex which became operational last year and Abergorki wind farm which is being developed in South Wales.
<h4>Unlocking funding and capacity through collaboration</h4>
Community energy schemes generate 12 times the local economic value of commercial projects, yet currently generate only 0.5% the UK’s electricity. The sector is grappling with a lack of access to flexible funding, and a capacity and skills gap. The Local Power Plan promises to address the capacity gap, through developing new service models with tools and advice for communities to access, plus creating a strong partnership network across local, national and commercial bodies. It also intends to “crowd in” private investment. How this will be achieved is still not fully clear, but it is positive to see the government recognise the importance of a collaborative approach to rolling out community energy projects.
Our joint venture with Better Society Capital, Community Energy Catalyst (CEC), provides a working model of how collaborative finance can help more communities own projects in their area. The initiative provides flexible funding to complement government grants and other sources of finance, plus industry specific skills and expertise. CEC will help support the ambitions of the Local Power Plan by providing the flexible funding community energy groups need to bring projects to fruition.
<h4>Now is the time to Up the Energy</h4>
The commitments made in the Local Power Plan have the potential to transform the community energy sector. But at the moment, they are still just commitments. What we need to see now is regulatory changes in practice to remove the barriers that are preventing the sector from accelerating at pace. We’re particularly concerned to see more detail on how government intends to support communities in establishing clearer routes to sell locally generated power – as this is crucial for attracting investment from the private sector and ensuring the benefits of local energy are maximised for the host communities.
With the backing of organisations across the UK, including Thrive, Community Energy England are asking government to turn words into action by removing barriers to community energy and strengthening support. Find out more about their Up the Energy campaign <a href="https://uptheenergy.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

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Chris Watt Photography_308

The spotlight’s on community energy. Now is the time to build on this momentum.

More than wires and turbines – what the Local Power Plan means for community energy

A CfD is a long term contract between a renewable electricity generator, such as a wind or solar farm, and the government. The contract guarantees the generator with a stable price for the electricity they produce, known as a “strike price”, over 20 years, regardless of market fluctuations. When market prices are higher than the strike price, the generator pays the surplus back, and vice versa when market prices fall below the strike price. The revenue stability encourages investment into UK renewables, increasing energy security, and allows projects to decrease the cost of funding ultimately lowering the cost of energy. Onshore wind is much more cost-effective for billpayers at £72.24 per MWh, compared to gas at £147 per MWh.  
Renewable UK estimates that the new onshore wind farms that won contracts in AR7 will generate enough clean electricity to power over 1.2 million homes. Plus generate more than £6.5 million in community benefit funds for people living near them.

The CfD will help unlock the long-term potential of Whitelaw Brae wind farm, our biggest project yet, which is due to complete construction this year. Most of the 14 concrete bases for the turbines are now in place, with the access tracks and cabling for the grid connection route completed. Building work also started on the substation, with turbine deliveries expected to start in spring. Once operational, Whitelaw Braw wind farm will help sustainably power over 45,000 average UK homes a year. [2] 
Drumduff wind farm which we co-own and operate with GreenPower also secured a CfD to support a new 6 turbine site extension.
&nbsp;
[1] Based on an export capacity of 57MW and a payment of £5,000/MW, the annual payment will be £285,000, which over 30 years would total £8.55m. This is before indexation, which will also be applied.
[2] Homes equivalent is calculated using the most recent statistics from DESNZ showing that annual GB average domestic household consumption is 3,323kWh (as of December 2025, updated annually). <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6945728a033693d5d50eb83d/subnational-electricity-and-gas-consumption-summary-report-2024.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/ media/6945728a033693d5d50eb83d/subnational-electricity-andgasconsumption-summary-report-2024.pdf </a>

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Chris Watt Photography_401

The project will help power over 45,000 average UK homes every year.  

Thrive’s largest wind project secures Contract for Difference (CFD)

Despite a less windy start to 2025, wind resource started to pick back up in the second half of the year and we were able to draw on our diverse portfolio of projects to help balance out the natural variability between technologies – upping generation from 2024.  
A major highlight in 2025 was acquiring a 10MW ground mount solar farm in Essex in May which started generating later that month. Dunmow solar farm experienced a very productive, sunny first summer – generating enough clean electricity to power over 8,000 homes in June. We are currently exploring opportunities for the local community to own a stake in the project – delivering on our pledge to provide the community an opportunity to own a share of every new project we acquire.

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Thrive CUT 4.00_02_51_12.Still002

Thrive’s projects generated enough clean electricity to power all the homes in a town the size of Southport.

Strong generation in 2025 as portfolio powers up

Whitelaw Brae 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. 
Once operational, the wind farm will be capable of generating up to 149,000 MWh of clean electricity per year – the equivalent of powering over 45,000 average UK homes – and delivering over 65,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions reductions.
The transaction was advised by CMS (lenders), TLT (sponsors), Locogen and WTW (insurance).

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CREDIT I & H BROWN (1)

Debt funding has been agreed for the construction of our biggest project yet.  

Thrive secures funding facility with Triple Point to support the construction of Whitelaw Brae wind farm

Local Power Plan  
Community-owned energy has a huge role to play in a cleaner, fairer future and something we have long been supportive of, facilitating community ownership at our very first wind project back in the early 90s. Given the enormity of the challenge faced in transitioning our energy sector, we need everyone to be on board.  We feel that involving people in local energy projects is key to building collective buy in for this crucial change. But despite widespread support (62% would back a community-owned scheme in their area), projects face a myriad of challenges, from early-stage funding to grid connection queues and a shortage of skills and resources. A recent article in the <a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/spotlight/sustainability/energy/2025/11/reclaiming-community-energy-could-help-save-government" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Statesman</a> summarises it perfectly – “the enthusiasm exists; the infrastructure does not”.  
But the topic of community energy is now gaining momentum, with much anticipation around the upcoming Local Power Plan – a policy document from the government-owned energy company, Great British Energy (GBE), which has the potential to turbocharge people-owned wind, solar and hydro. Teased in the <a href="https://www.gbe.gov.uk/strategic-plan-2025-html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Government’s recent strategic plan</a>, GBE is pledging its support for over 1,000 local and community energy projects by 2030 in a bid to reshape how energy is generated and consumed at a local level. 
Expected in early 2026, the Local Power Plan will set out the ambition for this growth and “develop a range of interventions and products that address the unique challenges facing local and community energy […] and work to identify the common solutions that can be used as a platform for scaling up delivery”. We very much look forward to publication and hope to see a clear framework of how GBE plans to work with the private sector, which will be vital in providing the funding and expertise for development.   
Grid constraints 
Last year was the cleanest ever for UK electricity, with renewables generating over half of the UK’s electricity for the first time. To completely decarbonise the electricity system by 2035, we still need to see a massive scaling up of clean energy sources. We have seen good progress on this in 2025, but  grid constraints – i.e. the bottlenecks in the electricity network that prevents power flowing freely and efficiently – are still a challenge. It was great to see connections reforms introduced this year to give  the National Energy System Operator (NESO) authority to terminate ‘zombie’ projects (those that are stalled or non-viable) and prioritise those that are ready for development and align with the UK&#8217;s Clean Power Action Plan – like our Abergorki and Whitelaw Brae wind farms. In 2026, we expect to see the first projects to benefit from these reforms to come to fruition. On top of that, Ofgem recently announced £28 billion of investment into the UK’s energy infrastructure, helping to transform the grid, which was largely built in the 1960s, into a system that can keep up with the  modern demand for energy.  
Contracts for Difference  
In 2025 the government announced reforms to its Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme aimed at boosting renewable energy deployment. The CfD is a mechanism which offers long term price stability for new renewable energy projects, commencing with an auction to ensure price stability is offered at an appropriate level. One of the key changes announced was that the contract length for solar, onshore wind and offshore wind will be extended from 15 to 20 years. This means that costs are spread over a longer period which provides greater revenue certainty &#8211; this in turn allows projects to access lower cost debt, which contributes to allowing renewables to continue to lower the cost of the power generated. Allocation Round 7 (AR 7) which opened in August 2025, is the first to operate under the new rules. We’re pleased to see repowered onshore wind projects made eligible for AR7 and future rounds as part of the changes as well.  This will strengthen the business case for repowering older wind farms, allowing them to benefit from technological advances, and produce more clean power. AR7 has a total budget of £310 million for onshore renewables – this is the maximum support the government would pay renewable energy generators if wholesale electricity prices dropped below the auctioned CfD price (offshore wind has a separate budget). With AR7 expected to be the biggest allocation round since 2014, we are waiting in anticipation for the results to be published in early 2026. We hope the results will support the capacity development needed if we are to meet 2030 clean power targets. 
… And for us it’s all about building new capacity 
Look out for exciting updates from the Thrive team next year as we make significant progress with some of our projects. Work on our 14-turbine Whitelaw Brae wind farm will really ramp up, following progress with access tracks and foundations in 2025, with commissioning expected to take place in late 2026. Once operational, it will be capable of generating enough clean electricity for around 45,000 homes a year. Construction is also set to start on Abergorki, our proposed 12.6MW wind project in South Wales, while we expect United Downs will be delivering 2MW of baseload electricity. We will also see more progress with Community Energy Catalyst, our £40 million joint venture with Better Society Capital to galvanise locally owned projects, with the first project in Kilbirnie expected to become fully operational.

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Chris Watt Photography_189

As we say goodbye to 2025, we’re heading into the New Year feeling hopeful of what’s set to be another exciting year of progress, not only for Thrive but the wider sector.

A new year is dawning, but what’s in store for renewables?

Misinformation and biases across politics, news and social media play a big role in driving scepticism and dampening the voices of the climate majority. If individuals feel they are in a minority they are less likely to speak up or act. And MPs are less willing to vote or advocate for green policies, stalling progress. So, how can we challenge misinformation and biases to become more united in tackling the climate crisis together? 
Share human stories that build trust 
Technical jargon around net zero and decarbonisation targets don’t resonate with most people. These terms can make climate change sound like a vague, abstract phenomenon, undermining its direct impact on our everyday lives. Instead, we need storytelling that people can see themselves in and connect with, such as community energy successes. Stories of communities coming together to build clean energy projects in their area demonstrate the real life benefits of the transition on people’s doorsteps – such as boosting local revenue streams and providing green jobs. They also show collective action in practice – communities across the UK right now are acting as agents in the climate emergency. The <a href="/project-funding/community-energy-groups/ace-case-study" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ambition Community Energy wind turbine</a>, which Thrive is invested in, is a great example of this. As well as providing a new revenue stream to drive regeneration in the local area, plans for an Energy Learning Zone will inspire young people and upskill residents to pursue green careers.  
Combat misinformation 
Recently we’ve seen a surge in misinformation on the climate crisis across politics and media, from flat out denialism to misleading headlines about the cost of climate action. Whilst these voices might sometimes feel like the loudest in the room, let’s remember the 89% of us who disagree with them. The fight against climate misinformation is a global effort, but by  sharing our vision of a better future, we can make a difference; calling out false information and referring to trusted sources. The <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)</a> is widely recognised as the most credible source of information related to the science of climate change. <a href="https://shareverified.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Verified</a> is another great source for fact checking issues relating to the climate crisis – it is a United Nations initiative to provide accurate information during global crises. And Thrive has created our very own <a href="/news/2025/11/fact-vs-fiction-how-to-debunk-common-wind-and-solar-power-myths" target="_blank" rel="noopener">myth buster</a>, with tips on how to set the record straight on renewables.  
Connect and collaborate  
Simply telling people they’re part of a majority can help boost engagement with climate action. The more we talk about climate change with others, the more we can feel supported, and there are number of ways we can connect to increase collective action. Organisations like <a href="https://groups.friendsoftheearth.uk/join" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Friends of the Earth</a> and <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/volunteering/join-a-local-volunteer-group/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Greenpeace UK</a> are a great place to start if you’re looking to find local climate action groups near you. Collaboration is the only way that we will tackle the climate crisis, which is why we bring together a range of individuals, businesses and communities to build clean energy projects, faster. Since building some of the UK’s first wind turbines in the late 90s’, together as a community we’ve built and funded 45 clean energy projects – generating over 2 million MWh of clean electricity. During that time, we’ve seen clean energy grow from the pursuits of a humble few to providing 60% of the UK’s electricity mix today. That’s the power of collective action.

tide-ise-2018-9

TIDE &amp; ISE 2018

89% of people around the world want more to be done to protect the climate. But we massively underestimate the level of support from others.

You are not alone – most people want climate action. So how can we become more united?

Grants up to £4,500 were awarded to eight community centres based near our clean energy sites – helping them to make important energy efficiency improvements such as lighting and heating upgrades, insulation, double glazing and more.
Now in its ninth year, our Community Benefit Programme administered by Centre for Sustainable Energy has awarded over £258,000 to community buildings since 2016, saving a combined estimate of 99 tonnes of emissions each year. In the latest round, grants were awarded to the following centres across the UK:  
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</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;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Easton Community Centre </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;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Henley Community Centre </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;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1">Peterborough Quakers Meeting </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;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="5" data-aria-level="1">Polmont Sports Centre  </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;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="6" data-aria-level="1">Carnforth Community Swimming Pool </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;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="7" data-aria-level="1">Stuartfield Village Hall  </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;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="8" data-aria-level="1">Burton Community Inn </li>
</ul>

To help celebrate out 30th anniversary, this year we’re making an additional £30,000 available to install solar panels on two community buildings close to our sites.

img_0488

IMG_0488

Helping community buildings stay warm and cheaper to run in round nine of our Community Benefit Programme.  

£33,000 awarded to community centres across the UK to boost energy efficiency

It’s been great to see community energy in the spotlight this year. In March, our CEO, Matthew, was in parliament to give evidence at the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee’s Unlocking Community Energy at Scale inquiry, alongside other community energy experts. The government has recognised the value of direct community involvement in the energy transition and launched a consultation around community benefits and shared ownership, which we as long term advocates responded to alongside others in the industry. And just this month, Great British Energy launched its first strategic plan, which identified local energy as a key priority – we look forward to seeing how this develops with the publication of the much-anticipated Local Power Plan next year.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-8238" src="/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Chris-Watt-Photography_302-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1703" />
&nbsp;

Flying the flag for community energy

Talking of community energy, in 2025 we launched an exciting joint venture with the UK’s leading social impact investor, Better Society Capital &#8211; bringing together £40 million for community-owned wind and solar projects across the UK. The new initiative, Community Energy Catalyst (CEC), will provide funding for local communities to build their own clean energy infrastructure or secure stakes in larger regional renewable energy schemes. Fair Play Clean Energy, Thrive’s existing joint venture with Top Cashback Sustainability Ltd, will provide £20 million of the investment, with Better Society Capital providing matched funding. In the summer CEC made its first investment, taking over Thrive’s £4 million loan to ATTIX CIC to fund the construction and operation of the 2.5MW community-owned wind farm in Kilbirnie, Scotland.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-9086" src="/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Kilbirnie-2-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Kilbirnie-2-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Kilbirnie-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Kilbirnie-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Kilbirnie-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Kilbirnie-2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Kilbirnie-2-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />

Community Energy Catalyst launch

Solar generation reached new heights this year, rising by a third in the first six months of 2025 to produce a record 9.91 TWh of clean electricity – enough to power all the homes in Scotland! [1] More records were broken on 8th July, when solar reached its highest ever level on the grid at 14GW (39% of the UK’s electricity demand at midday). Our new 10MW solar farm in Essex made the most of the sunshine, generating enough electricity to power over 8,000 homes in a particularly sunny June. We will be offering an opportunity for shared ownership in the project, via a local community energy group. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-9169" src="/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/HY-report-cover-2-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1706" srcset="https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/HY-report-cover-2-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/HY-report-cover-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/HY-report-cover-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/HY-report-cover-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/HY-report-cover-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/HY-report-cover-2-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />

New solar farm benefits from record year 

Shortly after the de facto ban was lifted, the Government formed its new Onshore Wind Taskforce, bringing together representatives from across the industry to explore how the roll out of this critical technology could be accelerated. As members of the finance subgroup, Thrive took part in these discussions and in July the results were published – a hefty 82-page strategy document identifying more than 40 steps to help deliver the additional 29GW of onshore wind needed by 2030. We were pleased to see grid connection reform identified as a top priority, as well as references to support for repowering older wind projects with newer, machines &#8211; utilising advances in scale, blade design and control systems which are capable of generating more power with minimal additional footprint.  
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-8050" src="/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/w-315-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" />

Onshore wind strategy

In the Autumn, we joined individuals and businesses from across the globe at a glittering awards ceremony to celebrate some of the world’s leading sustainability initiatives. And we were extremely proud to win the award for Responsible Investor of the Year. In 2025 we also won ESG Investor of the Year at the Business Green Awards, Net Zero Developer of the Year at Regen’s Green Energy Awards and Sustainable Finance Team of the Year at the Global Good Awards.  
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-9287" src="/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Reuters-Global-Sustainability-Awards-2025.jpg" alt="Thrive's CEO smiling and holding the award trophy for Responsible Investor of the Year at the Reuters Global Sustainability Awards" width="2000" height="1333" srcset="https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Reuters-Global-Sustainability-Awards-2025.jpg 2000w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Reuters-Global-Sustainability-Awards-2025-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Reuters-Global-Sustainability-Awards-2025-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Reuters-Global-Sustainability-Awards-2025-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Reuters-Global-Sustainability-Awards-2025-1536x1024.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />

Reuters Responsible Investor of the Year 

In September, the first concrete pour took place at our 57MW Whitelaw Brae onshore wind farm in Scotland to secure stable foundations for the turbines. Now 11 of the 14 foundations are completed. The concrete base is crucial for ensuring the longevity and stability of the turbines so they can generate clean electricity for decades to come. We were really pleased to be on site to witness the first concrete pour, alongside our co-investors in the project, TopCashback Sustainability Ltd. The project is on track to start generating next year, and, once operational, it will be capable of generating enough clean electricity for around 45,000 homes a year. Since construction commenced in March, we have averaged over 50 people constructing the site, plus health and safety, civil, electrical and grid designers, structural engineers, ecologist and archaeologists contributing to the responsible completion of the site.   
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-9293" src="/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2bf60905-b087-4917-8172-ecc587b1fe04.jpg" alt="Person wearing high vis standing in front of construction site of a wind turbine" width="2048" height="1536" srcset="https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2bf60905-b087-4917-8172-ecc587b1fe04.jpg 2048w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2bf60905-b087-4917-8172-ecc587b1fe04-300x225.jpg 300w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2bf60905-b087-4917-8172-ecc587b1fe04-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2bf60905-b087-4917-8172-ecc587b1fe04-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2bf60905-b087-4917-8172-ecc587b1fe04-1536x1152.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" />

Construction milestone at our biggest project yet 

Talking of green jobs, at the end of October, the government announced a national plan to train people for an extra 400,000 jobs in the clean energy sector in the next five years. The Clean Energy Jobs Plan outlines its scheme to double the number of people working in the green industries by 2030, with a particular focus on upskilling oil and gas workers as well as tailored schemes for ex-offenders, school leavers, and the unemployed. 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. <a href="/news/2025/10/clean-energy-jobs-plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hear their thoughts</a>.   
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-2173" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/THRIVE-OxfordVisit-8-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/THRIVE-OxfordVisit-8-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/THRIVE-OxfordVisit-8-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/THRIVE-OxfordVisit-8-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/THRIVE-OxfordVisit-8-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/THRIVE-OxfordVisit-8-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/THRIVE-OxfordVisit-8-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />

Clean Energy Jobs Plan unveiled 

Just a few weeks later, the government unveiled its long awaited Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan, setting out how it will put the UK back on track to meet its net zero targets. The didn’t contain many surprises, and there were blind spots, particularly around aviation. However, there’s no denying that the government’s commitment to going “all in” on climate action is significant progress. We were particularly pleased to see the plan framed around “making the British people better off” by reducing energy costs &#8211; confirming its intention to cut household bills by £300 a year by expanding homegrown clean energy and reducing the UK’s reliance on fossil fuels which tend to be priced on global markets. The plan also included a new “investor prospectus” to support green investment, plus a commitment to ensuring communities are empowered in the transition.    
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-7583" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Chris-Watt-Photography_427-1.jpg" alt="Adult and child walking around Thrive's Caton Moor wind farm at community open day" width="1800" height="1198" />

Plan to put net zero back on track 

On 5th December the UK’s wind farms generated over 23,000MW of electricity – enough to power more than 23 million homes. National Energy System Operator reported that on that day at 5.30pm wind power was generating over 47% of Britain’s electricity – breaking the maximum generation record of 22,000MW set less than a month previously. With clean energy now producing around 60% of the UK’s electricity mix, we’re looking forward to seeing renewables reach new highs in 2026.    
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2012" src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Avonmouth-wind-farm-in-Bristol-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Avonmouth-wind-farm-in-Bristol-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Avonmouth-wind-farm-in-Bristol-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Avonmouth-wind-farm-in-Bristol-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Avonmouth-wind-farm-in-Bristol-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Avonmouth-wind-farm-in-Bristol-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms-admin.thriverenewables.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Avonmouth-wind-farm-in-Bristol-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />

UK wind power reached all time high

[1] Based on generation figure of 9.91 TWh 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 3,301kWh per annum (1,650kWh for a half year period). 9.91TWh could therefore power 6,004,241 homes for a half year. Scotland’s population is 5,490,100 <a class="Hyperlink SCXW43503284 BCX8" href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates</a>

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