UK investors believe renewable energy is the key to solving the climate crisis and curbing soaring energy bills, a new poll has shown.
The research from Thrive Renewables found that seven in 10 investors want the UK to put more money into clean energy, with six in 10 saying they either have recently, or plan to, increase their own investments in the sector.
The poll, carried out by Opinium, surveyed 1,000 UK retail investors and 2,000 people from the general population. It found that support for renewables is shared by the wider British public, with two-thirds of non-investors wanting investment in renewables to increase.
Investors taking climate crisis into own hands
Matthew Clayton, managing director of Thrive Renewables, said: “In the midst of climate breakdown and an energy crisis, it has never been more important for the UK to invest in the renewable electricity generation needed to transition away from fossil fuels and deliver on this country’s net-zero carbon goals.
“It’s clear that investors and the UK public support this and are taking matters into their own hands to invest in positive, long-term solutions such as solar and wind energy.”
Invest in the latest crowdfund offer from Thrive Renewables here
Overall, 65 per cent of respondents say they want to see more solar energy projects in the UK, rising to 78 per cent of seasoned investors who have been investing for 10 years or more. Additionally, 62 per cent of investors support more onshore wind projects, increasing to 72 per cent of experienced investors.
Eighty-one percent of investors say they are concerned about the long-term implications of the energy crisis, with 57 per cent saying they want to use their investing power to help bring down energy costs overall.
And more than half, 56 per cent, say they feel a responsibility to use their investments to help the UK achieve its net zero carbon goals.
Renewables crowdfund hits £5 million
The campaign aims to raise £7 million for Thrive, which has almost 30 years’ experience in building, owning and operating clean energy projects with the backing of thousands of investors – large and small. The share offer is available through Triodos Bank UK’s crowdfunding platform, with a minimum investment of £94 for 40 shares.
Thrive is targeting a five to eight per cent return per year through a combination of dividends and increasing share value.
Whitni Thomas, head of corporate finance at Triodos Bank UK said: “UK investors want to use their money to support positive environmental change, and channel their concern for the energy crisis into long-term solutions that aim to reduce the UK’s dependence on fossil fuels.”
“Through crowdfunding campaigns such as the Thrive share offer, we can enable even more people to access impact investment opportunities.”
A number of recent polls have revealed overwhelming public support for expanding the UK’s renewables industry to help curb energy bills and reduce reliance on imported gas.
Last week a survey for trade body RenewableUK found that 77 per cent of people want the new government to use new wind and solar farms to reduce soaring electricity bills, while 76 per cent support building renewable energy projects in their local area.
The new prime minister Liz Truss has said she wants to expand UK renewable energy capacity, but has also expressed opposition to more onshore wind farms in England. She has indicated that there could be further tightening on planning restrictions for solar farms on agricultural land.
The renewables industry is hoping the upcoming emergency budget, which could come as soon as next week, may provide more clarity on how the government plans to accelerate renewable energy development.
Risk warning: Investing in the shares of an unlisted company involves risk – including potential for loss of capital – as the value of shares may go down as well as up. The payment of dividends and the target return on equity are not guaranteed.
