Throughout 2023 Current± has had the pleasure of hosting a number of new and exciting companies working towards a decarbonised energy system, as part of our Current±Disruptors series.
As we look forward to 2024, Current± caught up with contributors to its ‘Disruptors’ series interviewed this year, to reflect on their biggest successes of 2023 and hear what 2024 holds.
Ripple Energy
Current± sat down with Sarah Merrick, CEO and co-founder of Ripple Energy this April, to discuss how co-ownership can broaden consumer and business access to renewable energy.
Founded in 2017, Ripple Energy constructs renewable generation projects that can be co-owned by consumers and businesses alike. In March 2022, Ripple Energy energised the UK’s first consumer-owned renewable generation site, a single wind turbine dubbed Graig Fatha, in South Wales.
Since the first project, Ripple Energy has begun constructing another wind farm, consisting of eight turbines in Ayrshire, Scotland and announced its first solar project in England.
“In 2023 we announced our biggest project to date, Derill Water Solar Park, the UK’s first and largest consumer owned solar park,” Merrick reflected.
“With over 8,800 members, it is the highest ever single raise in the history of a UK co-operative, raising £20 million. Our Graig Fatha Wind Farm was the winner of Renewable Energy Project of the Year at the 2023 UK Green Business Awards, and Ripple Energy won the Judges Award at the 2023 Scottish Green Energy Awards.”
Looking towards 2024, Merrick told Current± that she expected the new year to be “a big year for Ripple Energy”.
“We are looking forward to the energisation of our largest wind farm to date, Kirk Hill Wind Farm, and Derill Water Solar Park, which will bring clean, green energy to almost 15,000 households,” added Merrick.
“We’re also looking to launch more projects, exploring both wind and solar, and starting to explore international opportunities for Ripple Energy to expand in Europe, as well as expanding the team and project offering in the UK.”
Greenworkx
Later on in the year (August), the EdTech start-up Greenworkx, featured on Current±Disruptors to discuss how it was helping close the green skills gap in the UK.
Advised by a number of industry experts including Anouka Dhadda, former head of energy and net zero at No. 10 Downing Street and Berthe Latreille, former managing director of JP Morgan EMEA Investment Banking, Greenworkx is aiming to build a talent portal to bridge “the gap between candidates, technical education and employment” within the renewable sector.
Greenworkx has celebrated a number of achievements over 2023 including winning its first revenues early in the year, and obtaining grant support from funding bodies such as City and Guilds, for its pilot aimed towards training and deploying Domestic Energy Assessors.
“In spring this year, we raised our first investment round from some great Venture Capital funds, Mangrove Capital Partners and Ada Ventures,” Mat Ilic co-founder and CEO at Greeworkx told Current±.
“We were able to deploy this investment to build our product, acquire more learners and candidates, and secure early adopter partners to work with us on training and recruitment outcomes.
“As of today, we have over 2,000 learners on our platform, having trained over 180 in Level 2 qualifications and over 20 in Level 3, putting more than 25 forward for job interviews with clients.
“Our product is now live and through our learning app we are enrolling new green workers every day, gearing up as the rest of the world prepares for further leaps through the energy transition in 2024 and beyond.”
Ilic said he looks towards 2024 with anticipation, stating that the climate for change appears to be in the right place to make strides towards a net zero future.
“As we look forward to 2024, we do so in the comfort that the mood music seems to be changing for the better. The recently-held COP28 climate summit signalled the “beginning of the end” for the fossil fuel era, and while we all want to see more progress and sooner, change is afoot, happening fitfully, building from a million small events,” continued Ilic.
“We see the need for our work only increasing, with the accelerated macro change to homes, roads and energy systems being reinforced by recent announcements such as the billions the UK stands to commit to boiler upgrades and efficiency measures, as well as the clear intent with the Future Homes Standard (consultation) to build new homes from 2025 which produce 75-80% less carbon than homes built under the current regulations.
“In the coming year we will be taking further steps towards our mission of getting ten million more people into green jobs in the next ten years.”
