Industry groups and developers have welcomed the outcome of the UK’s latest renewables auction, saying it will support investment and help the country move closer to its 2030 clean power targets.
The government said on Tuesday that 6.2 gigawatts (GW) of onshore wind, solar and tidal stream capacity secured 20-year Contracts for Difference (CfDs) in Allocation Round 7a (AR7a). Solar projects accounted for 4.9 GW of the capacity awarded, while onshore wind secured 1.3 GW and tidal stream 21 megawatts.
Industry body RenewableUK said the onshore wind projects, which cleared the auction at a strike price of £72.24 per megawatt hour in 2024 prices, are expected to unlock around £5 billion of private investment, support up to 10,000 jobs and generate more than £6.5 million in community benefit funding.
“The new onshore wind projects announced today will bring much-needed jobs, private investment, community benefits and fresh opportunities for supply chain companies throughout England, Scotland and Wales,” said James Robottom, RenewableUK’s head of onshore wind.
Robottom said onshore wind would also help protect consumers from volatile gas prices. “Onshore wind farms generate clean energy at a predictable and stable cost and they’re one of the UK’s cheapest forms of new power, so they offer the best value for money for hard-pressed bill-payers,” he said.
Vattenfall UK country manager Claus Wattendrup said the results showed continued progress and competitive pricing. “The Contracts for Difference announced today show solid progress and competitive prices for onshore wind and solar in the UK – so we can’t risk slowing down now,” he said, adding that expanding low-cost generation would help shield consumers from global gas price swings.
Solar Energy UK chief executive Chris Hewett described the outcome for photovoltaic projects as a positive milestone. “They are proof positive that solar provides the cheapest power available – and all while helping to cut reliance on what drove the energy price crisis in the first place: expensive and polluting natural gas,” he said.
The trade body said the AR7a awards, together with projects backed by corporate power purchase agreements and merchant developments, leave the sector broadly aligned with the level of deployment needed to reach 45–47 GW of utility-scale solar capacity by 2030.
In Scotland, industry group Scottish Renewables said around 1.4 GW was awarded to 33 projects across onshore wind, solar and tidal technologies, strengthening investor confidence and supply chain stability.
“Today’s auction result is another strong step towards energy independence and will galvanise continued activity throughout the supply chain,” said chief executive Claire Mack. She said Scotland’s onshore wind sector continued to lead the UK market, while solar and tidal awards would help build momentum across a wider range of technologies.
Mack urged the UK government to remain closely engaged with industry, citing the need to address volatile network charges to ensure future capacity can be secured at the best value for consumers.
