Sunday Times reveals 20 richest UK green businessmen

Green lobby groups might have been held back by the decisions made at the Copenhagen climate change conference held earlier this December, but the summit’s weak outcome does not appear to have caused financial concerns for over a dozen of UK investors who made their wealth from green businesses.

Philip Beresford, a researcher and writer of The Sunday Times’ Rich List, had published a listing of 20 UK businessmen who have made their fortunes from pro-environment investments.

The richest person on the list is former New Age traveller Dale Vince. He used to have a small-sized turbine to power his laptop. Now, the businessman is valued around $135 million.

The second richest is Andrew Owens and his spouse Alex Lewis, who both formed in 1992 the company Greenergy. Currently, the couple own a stake worth up to $80 million.

The list continues with Lee Cottingham, son of Mark Group’s founder John Cottingham. Today, the family owns the entire company, which worth is estimated at $70 million.

The fourth listed name is Roy MacGregor, a businessman who first started by selling a supermarket in 1985 before getting into the green sector. At present, he owns the $70 million firm Global Energy.

Other names listed on the report are Iain Dorrity, Barry Garrard and Stuart Oldham of PV Crystalox Solar; Jim Clarke of Clarke Energy; Neil Eckert of Climate Exchange; Diane and Rod Wood of Community Windpower; Alexander McKinnon of McKinnon & Clarke; Simon Armes-Reardon of Entec; David Routledge, Drew Johnson and Ian McLeod of Eaga; Euan Cameron of Wind Prospect Group; Eric Lumley of Viscount Environmental; Colin Palmer of Wind Prospect Group; and Jeremy Leggett of Solar Century Holdings.