Historically we’ve been caught up in a cycle of investing in more fossil fuels as a knee jerk reaction to problems caused by  disruption to fossil fuel supplies. This creates an unhelpful loop of dependence in which UK billpayers are left exposed to price hikes determined by unpredictable international oil and gas markets. And despite calls from some politicians to drill more at home, doubling down on UK oil and gas production won’t save billpayers a penny as gas prices are set on global gas markets regardless of where the gas is produced.

To build a truly resilient power system, protected from price shocks, we need to break the cycle of reinvesting in fossil fuels, and focus on increasing homegrown clean energy here in the UK. Unlike fossil fuels, wholesale prices for wind and solar aren’t tied to international commodity markets, offering a stable cost for electricity. The Climate Change Committee has found that the UK Government can deliver its long-term net-zero target for less than it spent responding to the energy price crisis in 2022 resulting from the Russia-Ukraine war.

But delivering “net zero” is much more than just wires and turbines. Community-led clean energy projects enable local people to take control of their power in the face of global crises. Profits from the sale of electricity from local renewables projects go into the pockets of local people, not large corporates. Take the Ambition Community Energy wind turbine in Bristol which Thrive helped fund – as well as generating enough clean electricity to power around 3,000 homes, all profits from electricity sales (around £100,000 a year) go to the community. Projects like this that are built locally have a big impact nationally – strengthening energy security and reducing UK carbon emissions.

We’ve got a long way to go to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and boost energy security. But together we are already making progress in delivering a cleaner, more resilient energy system – last year, renewables generated nearly half of the UK’s total electricity demand.  For 30 years Thrive has been leading the charge on renewables, helping to fund over 45 wind, solar and hydro projects and investing over £21 million into community energy projects that put people in control of clean energy in their area. But we’re not stopping there. The need for reliable, homegrown energy in the UK is greater than ever. And in times like these, a proactive response isn’t doom-scrolling or wishful thinking, it’s getting on with building proven, homegrown solutions.

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