OnPath Strengthens Expansion Plans with New Cambridge Base 2026

Key Points

• Sunderland-based OnPath Energy has opened a new office at St John’s Innovation Centre in Cambridge to expand its presence across England.
• The move supports OnPath’s ambition to become the UK’s leading renewable energy developer and strengthens its national footprint.
• This follows the company’s first southern England acquisition: the seven-turbine Milton Keynes Wind Farm in Buckinghamshire.
• OnPath is now identifying new sites for onshore wind farms across the south of England, with several potential locations already under consideration.
• Richard Dunkley, OnPath’s chief executive, said onshore wind is vital for long-term UK energy security and reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels.
• The 2024 removal of the effective decade-long ban on new onshore wind farms in England has enabled OnPath to widen its operational presence.
• OnPath has developed 14 onshore wind farms across the UK and is currently delivering three projects: a wind farm in southern Scotland, a solar farm near Leeds, and a combined solar and battery storage scheme near Rotherham.
• Several more developments are progressing through the planning system.
• The company aims to invest around £1 billion in clean energy projects by the end of the decade and expects to bring forward several new proposals in England over the next 12 months.
• OnPath’s OnPath Together initiative pledges £1 million per megawatt of generating capacity within 65km of each new onshore wind farm, and targets 65% lifetime local supply chain spend.
• Last year, OnPath distributed more than £1.2 million through community funds linked to its wind farms, supporting local projects and good causes.
• OnPath is owned by Brookfield Asset Management, one of the world’s largest dedicated transition investors, with more than 46,000MW of operating capacity globally.

Cambridge (Cambridge Tribune) July 02, 2026 – Sunderland-headquartered OnPath Energy has opened a new office at the St John’s Innovation Centre in Cambridge as it expands its footprint across England and accelerates plans to deliver new clean energy projects. The investment is designed to support the company’s ambition to become the country’s leading renewable energy developer and to strengthen its national presence.

The Cambridge base will enable OnPath to identify new onshore wind farm sites in the south of England, while also providing a platform for direct engagement with communities where the company hopes to develop projects. Richard Dunkley, chief executive at OnPath Energy, said that establishing a presence in such a well-connected and economically vibrant area gives the company a strategic base to widen its search for sites and maximise the number of locations it can bring into its project development pipeline.

How Does This Expansion Fit With OnPath’s Earlier Move Into Southern England?

The Cambridge office follows OnPath’s first move into southern England last year through the acquisition of the seven-turbine uk/local/milton/">Milton Keynes Wind Farm in Buckinghamshire. That acquisition marked the company’s initial step beyond its traditional North East base and demonstrated its willingness to develop onshore wind assets across different regions.

OnPath is now identifying new sites for onshore wind farms across the south, with a number of potential locations already under consideration. The Milton Keynes project serves as a practical example of how the company can own and operate wind farms outside its home region, while the new Cambridge office is intended to scale up that activity.

What Role Does Onshore Wind Play in the UK’s Energy Security Strategy?

Richard Dunkley said that onshore wind energy is playing an increasingly important role in the UK’s long-term energy security strategy and in reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels brought in from potentially unstable locations. He noted that the removal of the effective decade-long ban on new onshore wind farms in England in 2024 has created a more favourable environment for developers to bring forward projects.

OnPath has been looking to widen its operational presence across the country since the policy change, and is working on bringing forward several new English projects. The company already has a track record of 14 onshore wind farms developed across the UK, and it is currently delivering three renewable energy projects: a wind farm in southern Scotland, a solar farm near Leeds, and a combined solar and battery storage scheme near Rotherham.

How Much Investment Does OnPath Plan for Clean Energy Projects?

OnPath aims to invest around £1 billion in clean energy projects by the end of the decade and expects to bring forward several new proposals in England over the next 12 months, while continuing to explore opportunities across Scotland and Wales. Richard Dunkley said that alongside developing its own projects from first principles, the company is also looking to identify other opportunities at every stage of the lifecycle, from pre-construction right through to operational wind farms and project repowering.

Discussions are already ongoing with landowners and land agents across the south of England about potential locations for new onshore wind farms, and the company will now use its Cambridge office to widen its search. The scale of planned investment reflects OnPath’s ambition to significantly expand its project pipeline and embed itself as a major player in England’s onshore wind sector.

What Community and Supply Chain Benefits Does OnPath Promise?

Through its OnPath Together initiative, the company has pledged to invest £1 million per megawatt of generating capacity within 65km of each new onshore wind farm and target 65 per cent lifetime local supply chain spend. Last year, OnPath also distributed more than £1.2 million through community funds linked to its wind farms, supporting projects and good causes in surrounding areas.

Richard Dunkley said the company aims to help support a just transition that is fair and inclusive for everyone, including local communities and businesses, supported by its corporate commitment to making supply chain investments of £1 million per MW within 65km of each new onshore wind farm. These commitments are designed to ensure that economic benefits from new wind farms are shared locally and that local businesses can participate in delivery and maintenance work.

How Does OnPath’s Ownership by Brookfield Asset Management Shape Its Strategy?

OnPath is owned by Brookfield Asset Management, one of the world’s largest dedicated transition investors, with more than 46,000MW of operating capacity globally. This backing provides OnPath with access to significant financial resources and a global network of energy transition expertise, which supports its ambition to scale up project development across the UK.

The company’s growth plans, including the Cambridge office and the £1 billion investment target, are consistent with Brookfield’s broader strategy of backing large-scale clean energy infrastructure that can deliver long-term returns while supporting the transition away from fossil fuels. The ownership structure also strengthens OnPath’s credibility with landowners, local authorities and financiers when advancing new onshore wind projects.

Background to OnPath’s Development and the Cambridge Office

OnPath Energy is a Sunderland-headquartered renewable energy developer that has developed 14 onshore wind farms across the UK. The company’s core activities include identifying, developing and operating onshore wind, solar and battery storage projects, and it has been active in both the North of England and Scotland.

The opening of the Cambridge office at St John’s Innovation Centre marks a strategic shift to broaden OnPath’s geographic presence beyond its traditional base. The move follows the company’s acquisition of the Milton Keynes Wind Farm in Buckinghamshire, which was its first project in southern England, and reflects a longer-term plan to become the UK’s leading renewable energy developer. The office is intended to serve as a hub for site identification, community engagement and project development, with a focus on onshore wind farms in the south of England.

Prediction: How This Development Could Affect Local Communities, Landowners and the Renewable Sector

OnPath’s expansion into Cambridge is likely to have several tangible effects for different groups involved in the UK’s onshore wind sector.

For local communities in the south of England, the development could mean increased engagement around new wind farm proposals, including consultations, site visits and planning discussions. While this may raise concerns about land use and visual impact, the company’s OnPath Together pledge of £1 million per MW within 65km and its existing distribution of more than £1.2 million in community funds suggest that communities could benefit from local investment, job opportunities and support for good causes.

For landowners and land agents, OnPath’s presence in Cambridge, combined with ongoing discussions about potential sites, indicates a likely increase in requests for meetings and site assessments across the south. The company’s stated aim to invest around £1 billion by the end of the decade suggests a sustained pipeline of opportunities for landowners to lease land for wind farms, with potential for long-term revenue and local economic benefits.

For local businesses and the supply chain, the target of 65% lifetime local supply chain spend could open up opportunities for construction firms, engineers, environmental consultants and maintenance providers in the south of England. If OnPath meets this target, it could help build a more resilient regional renewable energy economy and create skilled jobs linked to wind farm delivery and operation.

For other renewable developers and investors, OnPath’s move signals confidence in the south of England as a growth region for onshore wind, particularly after the 2024 policy change lifting the effective ban. This may encourage further competition for sites and planning consents, but also strengthens the overall pipeline of projects that could support national energy security and decarbonisation goals.

In the longer term, if OnPath’s Cambridge office helps accelerate delivery of multiple onshore wind projects, the development could contribute to lower regional reliance on imported fossil fuels, increased energy security and a more diversified local economy centred on green infrastructure.