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kessingland

Latest news

To help fund this exciting period of growth, today we have launched a new share offer on the Triodos Bank Crowdfunding platform, aiming to raise £5 million to build new clean energy projects that will cut carbon emissions, help reduce household bills and benefit communities.
<a href="https://www.triodoscrowdfunding.co.uk/invest/thrive-renewables" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read the offer document and invest</a>.
You will need to register for Triodos Bank’s crowdfunding platform to access the offer document. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. <a href="/risk-summary/">Take 2 mins to learn more</a>. 
Our co-investment partnership with TopCashback Sustainability, will enable us to deploy an additional £40 million of capital by match funding what we invest. We’ve also recently announced a new joint venture with leading social impact investor, Better Society Capital, bringing together £40 million for community-owned wind and solar projects across the UK. Fair Play Clean Energy, Thrive’s joint venture with TopCashback Sustainability, will provide £20 million of the investment, with Better Society Capital providing matched funding.

Strong financial performance 
Last year saw us make significant progress with our growth strategy, securing the rights to build a 12.6MW wind farm in Wales and 57MW wind farm in the Scottish Borders, which is now under construction.
These new deals complement our existing operational portfolio of 24 projects which generated £11.3 million in operating profit (£9.3 million in profit after tax and minority interests) on a revenue of £26 million in 2024. In 2024, 20.6 million was reinvested back into building new renewable projects, while our existing wind, solar and hydro projects generated over 132,000 MWh of clean electricity and delivered emissions reductions equivalent to 61,810 tCO₂e.
A dividend of 12 pence per share has been recommended by the board for shareholder approval at the AGM in June. If approved, the dividend will be paid in July 2025.
Other recent developments include the construction of the ATTIX CIC community-owned wind turbine in Kilbirnie and the installation of the generation turbine at United Downs in Cornwall, with both sites expected to be operational in the coming months.

Now open, the minimum investment in the crowdfunding offer is £247 (100 shares) and shares can be held in a self-invested personal pension (SIPP). The company is targeting 5-8% return per year through a combination of dividends and increasing share value. This should be seen as a long-term investment. As with all investments, returns are not guaranteed, and investors may not get back all, or any, of their original investment.
<a href="https://www.triodoscrowdfunding.co.uk/invest/thrive-renewables" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read the offer document</a>.
You should read the offer document in full before deciding whether to invest. Investing in the shares of a company involves risks, including potential for loss of capital and future dilution, lack of dividends and lack of liquidity, and should only be considered as part of a diversified investment portfolio. If you are unsure as to the suitability of the investment, you should contact an independent financial advisor.
This financial promotion was approved on 7 May 2025 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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We’re looking to raise £5 million to help fund our project pipeline, including two ready to build onshore wind farms totalling over 69MW. 

Thrive launches new share offer following record year of capacity growth

Featured

Profits generated by the turbine were paid to the Baywind members and to the Baywind Energy Community Trust, a charity which offers grant funding for energy, education and community welfare in the Furness area.
Now that the 20 year agreement has ended, Baywind has decided not to make further investment in the wind turbine at Haverigg II. Ownership of the turbine has returned to Thrive for a fee, but the company is very open to further community co-ownership in the future. Thrive continues to invest in one of Baywind’s other community wind farms, Mean Moor, which is owned jointly by three community co-operatives.

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4 turbines

In 1998, when the Haverigg II wind farm site in Cumbria was first built, Thrive Renewables agreed to grant ownership of one of the turbines to the pioneering local energy co-operative, Baywind, for 20 years.

Thrive Renewables and Baywind Energy Co-operative agree deal for Turbine at Haverigg II

We believe this new policy will benefit Thrive in three ways:
<h3>Cutting carbon</h3>
Thrive exists to reduce Carbon Dioxide emissions by powering the clean energy transition. Currently, there is no technological solution for sustainable flights, behaviour change is key to cutting carbon from flights. <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49349566" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Flying less</a> is one of the most the most powerful actions we can take to reduce carbon emissions and protect the planet. A single return flight to Berlin from the UK clocks up the same amount of CO2 as <a href="https://tyndall.ac.uk/publications/tyndall-working-paper/2015/towards-culture-low-carbon-research-21st-century" target="_blank" rel="noopener">13 return trips by train</a>, showing the impact of our staff taking just one less flight could be huge. With the workplace a key part of modern life we hope to harness the social power of our staff to unlock this new way to cut carbon – moving beyond more traditional business-focused environmental policies.
<h3>Building a reputation as a climate leader </h3>
We’ve been <a href="/latest-news/news/people-power-key-for-sustainable-future/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pioneers in the renewable energy sector</a> for the last 25 years and now we want to be pioneering employers in this urgent area also. As a Climate Perks employer, we will be a part of getting climate conscious travel off the ground (or back to earth!) in the UK. As we continue on our net zero journey, companies and organisations will be expected to show more and more leadership around climate action. So we’re stepping up now! And we will continue to work and push boundaries to find new ways to reduce our impact on the planet.
<h3>Employee wellbeing</h3>
Recent <a href="https://www.triodos.co.uk/articles/2019/how-is-the-environmental-crisis-making-us-feel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research by Triodos Bank</a> showed 29% of the British public feel overwhelmed by the climate crisis, rising to 40% amongst younger people aged 16-24. However, <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2220561-stressed-about-climate-change-eight-tips-for-managing-eco-anxiety/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taking action</a> and having the freedom to make climate and ecologically conscious choices can have a big affect on how you feel. <a href="https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media.afreeride.org/documents/Aviation_briefing_Jan2019+FINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Research by Possible</a> showed 50% of 18-44 year olds would prefer to work for an employer that helps them to take clean travel on holiday. Through Climate Perks we hope to support staff and future recruits make lifestyle choices that reflect their values &#8211; strengthening staff well-being, satisfaction and loyalty.
Learn more about Climate Perks on their <a href="https://www.climateperks.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website.</a>
Possible is a UK based climate charity that brings people together to take positive, practical action on climate change. Combining individual and local actions with larger systemic change, we connect people with each other, and communities with ways to address the climate crisis. Learn more about Possible on their <a href="https://www.wearepossible.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website.</a>

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TIDE &amp; ISE 2018

We are proud to announce that Thrive is a pioneering member of the Climate Perks programme, created by climate charity “Possible”, offering our staff two paid ‘journey days’ when opting for sustainable holiday travel.

Empowering our team to take sustainable flight-free holidays

In 2016 we developed the Community Energy Funding Bridge to empower communities to develop or purchase their own local renewable energy projects. Since then we’ve supported five community groups to acquire three renewable energy projects.
If your community is interested in building a renewable energy project, we’ve put together a handy guide of 10 things you should think about before you start.
Read the full article on the Community Energy England <a href="https://communityenergyengland.org/news/10-things-to-think-about-when-you-are-planning-a-wind-solar-or-hydro-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website.</a>

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Thrive Renewables

Thrive’s top 10 things to think about if you’re planning to build a wind, solar or hydro project.

Empowering communities to build local renewable energy projects

But these changes and the rate at which they move must be turbocharged as we move into the next decade. The 2010’s mark the end of the time for organic transition – we now need radical transformation.
If we are going to get to net zero carbon emissions, the next 10 years will look very different. Matthew Clayton writes for <a href="https://good-with-money.com/2020/01/03/renewables-to-power-a-decade-of-transformation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Good With Money.</a>

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Our MD, Matthew Clayton, writes for Good with Money.

Renewables to power a decade of transformation

In her speech at the opening of parliament this week, the Queen said: “My Government will continue to take steps to meet the world-leading target of net-zero GHG emissions by 2050.”
Meanwhile, the Committee on Climate Change has written to the Prime Minister pressing him inject new urgency into the development and implementation of policy to deliver on the net zero target:

There is an urgent need to develop and implement ambitious, long-term, joined up policy to deliver net zero and at Thrive we will be working with industry bodies and investors to support that process. In the meantime, there are some straightforward, almost cost neutral things the new government could do right now to create a much more supportive environment for onshore renewables &#8211; the cheapest way of producing electricity across the globe.
<h3>Long term stability &#8211; A new approach to planning</h3>
The UK’s planning regime needs overhauling to reflect the climate emergency and government’s net zero targets. The key is longer-term thinking. Currently, unlike almost any other infrastructure project, new onshore renewables are typically only granted planning permission for a maximum of 20 to 30 years. This built in obsolescence makes investment difficult now subsidies have been removed and could even mean we start to see our onshore wind fleet shrink in size over the next few years. A new, longer term approach to planning for onshore renewables from government would provide the stability needed for investment, ultimately reducing the cost of electricity.
<h3>Size matters &#8211; We could be doing so much more, with so much less</h3>
Currently there are arbitrary limits on the height of onshore wind turbines. Essentially, the taller the turbine, the better wind it can access, and the more power it can generate &#8211; both the environmental and financial costs are less with taller turbines. Current planning rules favour short turbines, hindering land use and realisation of the UK’s abundant natural resource.  We could have fewer, taller turbines generating much more clean electricity at lower cost if some simple changes were made to planning assumptions.
<h3>Businesses as mini power stations</h3>
Many businesses have set net zero targets and are now trying to figure out how they can deliver them. One incredibly powerful way to do this is to use their existing land and buildings as sites for wind, hydro and solar installations. At Thrive, we have successfully delivered several of these projects for businesses <a href="/projects/investment-case-studies/private-wire/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">across the country</a>, helping them save on bills and maximise their use of clean energy.  Consistent policies would business confidence to not only become greener but also play a part in making the UK more self-sufficient.
<h3>Get smarter, together</h3>
What connects your freezer and hot water tank at home with a massive data centre? All have the potential to adjust their electricity consumption to reflect the needs of the grid, and even act as storage. The industry calls this ‘demand side management’. If it were made mandatory, we could unite in adjusting our consumption patterns, saving electricity and reducing the amount of infrastructure we need, which keeps the costs down for everyone.  The technology is here, we just need consumers to demand A**** rated domestic products.
<h3>Bring back the hot water tank!</h3>
Generating our heat more sustainably is a big challenge, but would reap high rewards. When we think of energy storage, our minds leap to batteries and the exciting role electric cars can play in the future. However, a hot water tank, whist not being very new and exciting, is an excellent way to store renewable electricity, shaping demand (heating your hot water) when there is abundant renewable electricity, then storing it as hot water until you need it (at peak energy demand times in the morning), can play a big part in cleaning up our energy needs and reducing the amount of grid infrastructure required. Space heating and hot water accounts for 80% of UK residential energy consumption. Almost 40% of the UK’s energy requirement is for heat with 70% of our heating requirements met by burning natural gas, resulting in 20% of the UK’s CO2 emissions.
<h3>Snuggle up</h3>
Energy efficiency always tends to be the Cinderella of energy policy. But a more joined up approach is needed. Energy usage needs to be factored in to the existing building regulations so every new home is as comfortable and cheap to run as possible. Retro fitting insulation, thermostats and other measures should move on from middle class ‘fixer uppers’ and into the mainstream. Those who are old and vulnerable will benefit most from energy efficiency measures, bringing down bills and making homes warmer and cosier. And jobs will be created across the construction industry.
<h3>Cheaper, cleaner energy for all</h3>
Everyone knows we need cheaper, cleaner energy to help us reach net zero as quickly as possible while keeping the lights on. The UK’s Climate Change Committee has spelled out what needs to be done; with over one third of our electricity now generated by renewables, the sector has proved itself. Embedding zero carbon targets across government departments in an integrated way will accelerate our transition to a cleaner, greener future; and long-term planning and policy certainty will allow the sector to build on the success of the last ten years and grow exponentially.

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Simple steps the new government can take right now to drive growth in renewables.

Get net zero done

Climate activists, scientists, businesses and ordinary people have taken climate change from a “niche’ topic to top of the political agenda. For the first time, the majority of political parties are taking the climate crisis extremely seriously in their manifestos, demonstrating how the public can influence politics and force those in government to take the issues we care about seriously.
In contrast to much of our political discourse at the moment, this debate was broadly civil and constructive. There was point scoring and argument of course, but the reality is that the leaders were essentially in violent agreement. Many of the policies are broadly similar and the argument about deadlines should not distract from acting right now.
A key moment was when Nicola Sturgeon of the SNP mentioned unity. Climate change isn’t something we should be squabbling about, it should unite us together in the fight for our lives. The melting ice sculptures were an impactful visual reminder that not all party leaders chose to take part. But climate change is one of the top issues affecting this election according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/30/climate-crisis-affects-how-majority-will-vote-in-uk-election-poll" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent polls</a>, with 54% of adults saying it will affect how they vote &#8211; rising to 74% for under 25s. So all parties need to take it extremely seriously.
Elsewhere in Europe and internationally, positive steps are being taken. European Parliament declared a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/28/eu-parliament-declares-climate-emergency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Climate Emergency</a> yesterday, and next week sees the start of the most important <a href="https://unfccc.int/cop25" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN climate meeting</a> for four years. So our message continues to be the same. Let’s work together to be the change we want to see by building new, clean energy capacity, and keep holding whoever is in government to account to put policy in place with reflects both the gravity of the Climate Crisis and the huge potential we have to create a better future for us all.

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Last night saw the first climate crisis party leaders’ debate in history. This is the issue of our time and the greatest existential threat humanity will face. We have just 11 years to turn the climate-change super tanker around and the next government could be in power for 5 of those years, so this type of national conversation is absolutely vital.

Climate crisis debate - Another step on the transition journey

The company plans for electricity generated at the site to be supplied both directly to a local business and the electricity grid. Thrive Renewables has a track record of innovation in renewable energy project development, including ‘private wire’ projects, designed to enable local businesses to use power directly from a wind farm. This provides long-term, stable energy prices for the business and price certainty for the wind farm operator, protecting both parties from the volatility of the energy market.
When Chapelton wind farm is built, the local community will be able to apply for Thrive Renewables Community Benefit Programme, which offers grants to improve energy efficiency in community buildings like village halls, making them warmer, more comfortable and cheaper to run.

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We have acquired a new wind farm site near Girvan, South Ayrshire in Scotland. The project, to be named Chapelton wind farm, has planning and land rights for three turbines and initial ground works have commenced.

Thrive Renewables acquires new wind farm site in Scotland

The offshore wind sector alone is likely to see a 260% increase in jobs by 2032. In addition, the report suggests that in the next five years there will be 600,000 positions which will need replacing due to staff retirement; there are simply not enough young graduates entering the field to replace them. It is therefore important for our sector to do what we can to inspire more people to pursue careers in renewable energy.
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So, on 4 November we were particularly pleased to welcome a group of engineering students from the University of Bristol to Avonmouth, to give them a behind the scenes look at an operational onshore wind farm. We also wanted to provide some insight into what skills go into developing renewable energy projects and careers options available.
Operations Manager, Adrian, talked to the students about each stage of development, from financing the project and gaining planning permission, to construction and operations. Many of the students had not visited a wind farm before and enjoyed learning more about the turbines.

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The UK renewables sector is currently experiencing a severe skills shortage.

Supporting the next generation of renewable energy engineers

Green Great Britain Week could not be more relevant and needed right now. We are in a climate emergency, that emergency cannot be postponed or rescheduled. Every day, week, month we waste on inaction is to the detriment of not just the UK, but the entire planet. We have so much to do and just over 11 years to do it.
<h3>More good news on renewables</h3>
A recent report released by the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/21/renewable-energy-to-expand-by-50-in-next-five-years-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Energy Agency</a> showed that global renewables are growing faster than expected and could expand by 50% in the next five years, led by a resurgence in cheaper solar power. This growth will bring the world’s renewable generated electricity up to 30%. Whilst this is fantastic news, if we have any hope of achieving climate, air quality and energy access goals, the deployment of renewables must accelerate ever further still.
In the third quarter of 2019, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/oct/14/renewable-electricity-overtakes-fossil-fuels-in-uk-for-first-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UK renewables generated more electricity than fossil fuels</a> for the first time since the first ever power plant in 1882, providing 40% of our electricity needs. Helped by a string of new offshore wind farms built this year, wind power is the UK’s strongest source of renewable energy making up 20% of the mix. This signifies a crucial tipping point in our energy transition, and yet another milestone on our net zero journey.
<h3>Environment Bill and Office for Environmental Protection</h3>
In the Queen’s speech on 11 October, the government laid out its new Environmental Bill which will reportedly enshrine environmental principles into law for the first time. Several of the Bill’s proposals have been welcomed, such as those on restoring and protecting nature and tackling plastic pollution. However, few policy details have been released and very little was mentioned in relation to decarbonisation and curbing emissions in line with meeting net zero targets. In addition to the proposed bills, the government announced plans to establish the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP), an independent watchdog, to hold the government to account and ensure compliance with environmental targets and laws.
This new watchdog provides an opportunity to put sustainability at the heart of the UK economy. However, we are concerned about its lack of power to discipline non-compliant organisations. Under EU rules, for example, the government has faced heavy fines for failing to meet EU air standards. It has also been forced to reduce nitrogen oxides pollution. The OEP however, will not have such powers which leads to worries that the new watchdog will be insufficient to punish those who breach new standards or fail to hit the UK’s green targets.  With an election in the offing, the future is even more unclear.
<h3>Action and leadership now</h3>
Behind the announcements of government plans to protect and improve the environment through the Environment Bill and the new OEP, they have been slipping ever further from their legally binding targets on emissions that are directly contributing to global heating.
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC), the government’s advisory group on climate change and emissions targets, outlined changes which need to be made to reach net zero in their 2019 progress report. Changes such as supporting onshore wind and solar and improving home insulation. The new OEP is expected to provide some additional teeth to compliment the work of the CCC. However, it is difficult to have confidence in the OEP’s ability to police our environmental and climate action when so few of the CCC’s recommendations have so far been met.
Right now, we need environmental and climate leadership from government, but also from local authorities, industry, business and individual people. Green Great Britain Week would have been a great opportunity to bring all those different corners of the UK economy and society together to develop and harness that leadership to create real change.
Next year the UK will be hosting COP26 in Glasgow, shining a spotlight on the government’s actions on the climate emergency. If we want to be seen as a world leader on that stage, the work needs to start now, and it needs to start with clear policy and tangible action. We need to create a viable route to market for onshore renewables, the cheapest sources of new energy generation. We need to change the planning regulations to protect the UK’s current portfolio of renewable energy projects from shrinking as they approach the end of their planning consent. We need to support the repowering of older renewable energy projects, making use of more advanced and efficient technology.
The road to net zero is clear. It has been laid out in front of us by scientists and the government’s own <a href="https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/net-zero-the-uks-contribution-to-stopping-global-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CCC</a>, <a href="https://www.nic.org.uk/assessment/national-infrastructure-assessment/low-cost-low-carbon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National infrastructure Committee</a> and <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/700496/clean-growth-strategy-correction-april-2018.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BEIS</a> to name a few. Now we must choose to take it. We need the new government, when it is elected, to step up and move quickly in the right direction. It should be Green Great Britain Week every week for business, individuals, communities and beyond.

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This week we should have been celebrating Green Great Britain Week.

What happened to Green Great Britain Week?

Each successful community building will receive up to £4,000 to make energy efficiency and sustainability improvements carefully targeted for their specific design and use.  Improvements like loft insulation, new double-glazed windows, draft-proof doors, thermal curtains and efficient LED lighting.
A wide variety of buildings have been awarded grants this year, hosting projects, charities and organisations which support and address different community needs.
Successful applicants include:
<ul>
<li>North East Suffolk Citizens Advice Bureau &#8211; an independent charity providing impartial, free advice to the local community</li>
<li>Heart and Sound &#8211; a Scottish youth work and creative media charity</li>
<li>Alloa Rugby Football Club &#8211; a rugby training facility and social club for local sports teams</li>
<li>St Paul’s Parish Church &#8211; the village hub acting as a focal point hosting groups of all ages from across the local area</li>
</ul>
The sustainability improvements are forecast to save community organisations an average of £649 per year. This will go a long way to helping them maintain these vital shared spaces which provide so much for the people who use them. In addition, the energy efficiency improvements are also calculated to save 23.03 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year, contributing to the global effort to address the climate emergency and reach our targets of net zero emissions by 2050.
North East Suffolk Citizens Advice Bureau received £1,781 for loft insulation, which will support an ongoing project to improve the energy usage of the building.

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23 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year will be avoided with round 4 of the community benefit programme.

Improved warmth and comfort in vital community buildings

We kicked off our celebrations last month with a birthday reception and a family open day at our Avonmouth wind farm. Nick Stromberg, intern at the Centre for Sustainable Energy, writes for Blue Patch’s Youth Blog about the events and festivities.
Read the full blog on the Blue Patch <a href="https://community.bluepatch.org/renewable-energy-in-britain-from-thrive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website.</a>

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The Blue Patch youth blog reports on Thrive’s 25th anniversary celebrations.

Thrive at 25! Youth blog

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The National Grid produces Future Energy Scenarios describing how power will be generated, distributed and consumed in the future. It demonstrates just how much needs to be done to transform our energy system. We are ready to take on this challenge and invest in new wind, solar and hydro projects; with the right policy framework in place, this transformation will happen.
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To-date, the UK has built a fifth of the renewable capacity required to slow climate change. With the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) suggesting we have only 12 years to turn the climate change around, the role for Thrive, its investors and others in building new sustainable energy infrastructure continues to be absolutely crucial.
Our mission is to power the transition to a sustainable energy future by helping people meaningfully connect with clean energy projects. By doing this we can achieve wider energy access and lower costs for everyone over the coming years. With the twin challenges of national planning guidance and an energy system where onshore renewables stand alone in being unsubsidised, the pioneering and values driven investment approach of Thrive and its investors has never been more relevant.
If government, industries and individuals work together towards this common goal, we will succeed in creating a cleaner, fairer and brighter future. We asked some of Thrive’s friends and key industry figures to imagine what this future might look like. Here’s what they said.
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1 &#8211; Cumulative generation since 1998, average UK homes equivalent consumption of 3.781MWh/p.a./UK home (https://www.renewableuk.com/page/UKWEDExplained), average residents per household 2.3 (https://www.ons.gov.uk/ peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/ populationestimates/bulletins/populationandhousehold estimatesfortheunitedkingdom/2011-03-21)

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It’s Good Money Week, organised by the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association, which Thrive is part of. As our investors know, money has the power to create real, positive change in the world.

Working together towards a brighter future

The bond helped to fund new projects that deliver cheaper, cleaner electricity to homes and businesses across the UK, including a milestone community wind project in Cumbria in 2017. Mean Moor wind farm was the first recipient of our award-winning community energy funding bridge, enabling the first commercial scale wind farm in the country to transfer from a developer to 100% community ownership. Funds raised by the bond were also used to build a 6MW wind farm in West Lothian on the site of a disused coal mine, as well as a 2MW hydro-electric project in the Scottish Highlands.

Thrive was ‘highly commended’ at Investment Week’s Sustainable Investment Awards in 2017 for this innovative green energy bond, giving bondholders the opportunity to include their investment in an IFISA.

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Launching in 2016, it was the first bond offer to be available through an Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA).

Second Thrive bond successfully repaid after seven years funding new clean energy projects

In total our wind, solar and hydro projects delivered emissions reductions equivalent to 58,620 tCO2e, a 1% increase in impact on 2022 [3]. 
Despite overall wind speeds in the UK being slightly lower last year than the long-term average, we managed to generate more power than in 2022.  
As part of our long-term growth strategy we aim to double our renewable generation capacity over the next five years. Last year we made <a href="/latest-news/news/new-deal-with-ethical-power-will-help-double-thrive-s-impact/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our largest single investment to date</a> and continued to support community-owned projects, including committing £4 million to <a href="/latest-news/news/4-million-investment-into-community-group-attix-cic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scotland’s first subsidy free, 100% community-owned onshore wind turbine</a>.  
We also extended the life of our 22 year old Sigurd wind turbine on Orkney after the original blades reached end of life having generated 88GWh of clean electricity in one of the windiest spots in the UK. Refurbished blades have been fitted so that Sigurd can continue generating clean electricity while the old blades are being <a href="/latest-news/news/reducing-waste-at-our-sigurd-wind-farm/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">repurposed into useful items like bike shelters and EV charging stations</a>.

[1] Impact Portfolio describing Thrive’s share of projects owned plus the projects Thrive is funding.
[2] Average residents per household 2.4 (<a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/families/bulletins/familiesandhouseholds/2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/families/bulletins/familiesandhouseholds/2020</a>), Population of Preston is 99,198 (<a href="https://www.thegeographist.com/uk-cities-population-1000/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.thegeographist.com/uk-cities-population-1000/</a>).
[3] RenewableUK uses DESNZ’s “all non-renewable fuels” emissions statistic of 424 tonnes of carbon dioxide per GWh of electricity supplied in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics (July 2023) Table 5.14 (“Estimated carbon dioxide emissions from electricity supplied”). Carbon reduction is calculated by multiplying the total amount of renewable electricity generated by Thrive’s impact portfolio per year by the number of tonnes of carbon which fossil fuels would have produced to generate the same amount of electricity.

Consistent performance across the portfolio in 2023, despite a slight drop in wind.

Records and repowering: We generated enough clean electricity to power 42,000 homes

Now in its seventh year, the 2023 programme awarded a record £37,692 to ten community groups. The estimated carbon savings from this round alone amount to 7.5 tonnes CO2 equivalent every year. We also provided free online training on the topics of energy advice, community approaches to tackling fuel poverty, and community building energy efficiency. 50% of the people who came to these training sessions had not previously engaged with the programme but were eager to do so afterwards, with two-thirds saying they had been inspired to conduct a survey of their building. Plus, everyone who attended expressed motivation to support their communities in tackling fuel poverty, with all groups also keen to initiate their energy projects.  
Hear from some of the grantees in <a href="https://www.cse.org.uk/news/community-buildings-are-thrive-ing-across-the-uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CSE’s article</a>.

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