Sowing the seeds for new wildlife habitats at Dunmow solar farm

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21 May 2026

Thrive’s operations team visited our 10MW solar farm to help implement biodiversity measures aiming to enhance the nature on site.

Article written by anna.cooper

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Climate change and biodiversity loss go hand in hand. That’s why we’re committed to conserving and enhancing nature at our clean energy projects.

Recently, Thrive’s operations team visited our Dunmow solar farm to get hands-on with the biodiversity management on site. With support from our ecology consultant, Wychwood Biodiversity, the team had a productive couple of days preparing soil berms (raised areas of soil) for the creation of a new wildflower-rich grassland habitat. This involved lots of raking to prepare the soil’s surface, before sowing with a seed mix rich with wildflowers, and then compacting the seed.

“It’s been really rewarding getting hands on with the habitat improvements at Dunmow and we’re looking forward to seeing this wildflower grassland establish over the coming months. Well-managed solar farms can be havens for wildlife, providing important habitats for a range of species, from butterflies and birds to a whole host of insects, as well as mammals like hares and badgers. By implementing long term biodiversity measures that are specific to local conditions, we aim to make Dunmow one of those havens, providing a rich habitat for a diverse mix of species to thrive”.

David Matheson, Senior Sustainability Analyst, Thrive Renewables

We are looking forward to seeing the new habitat establish in the coming months as the wildflowers start to germinate. Once established, this diverse grassland habitat will benefit a number of invertebrates and other important wildlife. Alongside other measures on the main site and neighbouring skylark area, the new habitat will will contribute to the site’s overall biodiversity net gain objectives.

Thrive’s biodiversity policy commits us to supporting long-term sustainable development, aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 15: ‘Life on Land’. We intend to go above and beyond legal requirements with voluntary initiatives tailored on a site-by-site basis and outlined in individual Biodiversity Management Plans.

We acquired Dunmow solar farm in May 2025, and it became operational shortly after, generating enough electricity to power over 8,000 average UK homes in a particularly sunny June. The 10MW solar farm can generate up to 14,500 MWh of clean electricity a year and deliver emissions reductions of 6,337 tCO2e. It is the third project to be funded by which brings together a combined £80 million in capital to fund new clean energy projects in the UK.

Photo credit: Wychwood Biodiversity