Dec 19, 2024

Thrive wins Scottish wind project

Thrive Renewables has secured the rights to develop the 57MW Whitelaw Brae wind farm project located in the Scottish Borders close to Tweedsmuir.

This agreement represents the company’s largest venture so far and is a significant advancement in its goal to double its generation capacity over the next five years.

It is the second initiative funded by Fair Play Clean Energy, Thrive’s partnership with TopCashback Sustainability, which pools a total of £80 million in capital for new clean energy projects across the UK.

Originally owned by developer BayWa r.e., Thrive took over the Whitelaw Brae project in December 2024 after successfully winning a competitive tender in October 2024.

Thrive has a history of implementing community and shared ownership models, both at its own facilities and by supporting community-driven energy initiatives.

With the acquisition of Whitelaw Brae, the company plans to promote shared ownership at this site in collaboration with Ripple Energy's latest cooperative.

Monika Paplaczyk, investment director at Thrive Renewables, expressed: “Scotland is among the finest locations globally for onshore wind, so we’re thrilled to have obtained this project and are diligently working to advance it to the construction phase.

Whitelaw Brae will be our largest project to date, coinciding with Thrive marking 30 years of investing in and constructing clean energy projects in the UK.

We eagerly anticipate making the wind farm operational, enabling it to provide more affordable, cleaner energy for homes and businesses, while also aiming to give the broader community a chance to invest in the project.”

John Milligan, Managing Director at BayWa r.e. UK, stated: “This transaction signifies the ongoing development of high-quality renewable energy assets in Scotland, a crucial area for supporting the UK government’s net-zero goals.

We are excited to see the project advance and contribute to the acceleration of the energy transition.