LONDON, Feb. 10 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:
* Record solar, onshore wind, and tidal projects - building on last month's offshore wind success - deliver Britain's biggest-ever clean energy auction
* Largest ever procurement of solar projects in the UK - 4.9 GW secured -providinga major boost for one of the cheapest and cleanest energysources available
* Taken togetherwith offshore wind results,government secures 14.7 GW of clean, homegrown power enough to power equivalent of 16 million homes
* New clean, homegrown power secured today will reduce energy bills for families, deliver clean power by2030and give Britain energy sovereignty
Britain has taken another significant leap towards energy independence and lower bills as it announces record levels of new solar and onshore wind projects as part of its latest renewables auction.
This comes justweeksafterthe government deliveredthe single biggest procurement ofoffshore windthat Europe hasseen,confounding the global challenges facing the industry and securing a major vote of confidence in the UK's clean energy mission.
Today's outcome builds on that success with a record number of solar projects secured, the largest onshore wind projectto be successfulin Englandin a decade, and new tidal stream schemes.Combined with January's offshore wind results, the government has now delivered a record 201 projects, generating 14.7 GW of new clean power-enough to supply the equivalent of16million homes.
This puts the UKon track for its 2030clean power target, securing clean, homegrown energy atgood valuefor billpayers-once again proving that clean power is the right choice for energy security and to meet rising electricity demand.New onshore windhas been agreedata price of£72.24/MWhand new solar at £65.23/MWh, both under half the £147/MWh cost of building andoperatingnew gas power stations.
Once built and generating,newclean, homegrown powersecured today will reducebillsfor householdsand drive down wholesale prices,whileprotecting families and businessesfromfossil fuelprice shocks that have triggered half of all recessions since the 1970s.
These projects deliver major infrastructure for the country as Britain races to cut energy bills and meet future electricity demand - unlocking an additional £5 billion in private sector investment and supporting up to 10,000 jobs. Successful projects include:
* Imerys Wind Farm in Cornwall- the largest onshore wind project to be successful in England in adecade,helpingrebuildan industry that wasstagnantunder the defacto onshore wind ban
* SanquharII Wind FarminDumfries and Galloway in Scotland- the fourth largest onshore wind farm in the UK- driving growth and private investment across the region
* West Burton solar farm - a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project that is now the largest solar farm ever to win a government renewables contract, transforming the home of the last coal-fired power station into a powerhouse of clean, secure, homegrown energy that Britain controls
Britain is building clean, homegrown energy at every scale - these results follow the publication of the Local Power Plan by the government and Great British Energy. A fund of up to £1 billion will enable communities across the UK to own and control their own clean energy projects, building community wealth through the largest public investment in community energy in this country's history.
It alsofollowswider action to cut energybills, includingtakingan average £150of costsoffbills from April and delivering the biggest ever public investment in home energy upgrades through the Warm Homes Plan.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:
These results shows once again that clean British power is the right choice for our country, agreeing a price for newonshore wind andsolar that is over 50% cheaper than the cost of building andoperatingnew gas.
By backing solar and onshore wind at scale,we'redriving bills down for good and protecting families, businesses, and our countryfrom the fossil fuelrollercoaster controlled by petrostates and dictators.This is how we takebackcontrol of our energy and deliver a new era of energy abundance andindependence.
Head of Mission Control, Chris Stark said:
Today's record results are another boost for Britain's 2030 clean power mission. They mean more homegrown power, greater energy security, ata good pricefor the consumer.
With each new solar and onshore wind project we reduce Britain's reliance on gas power plants, insulating families from the next spike in global gas prices.
Neil McDermott, Chief Executive of the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC), said:
These results demonstrate the enormous contribution theCfD is making to Great Britain's electricity system.
Together these projects will provide new renewable electricity generation at scale, particularly when paired with the record offshore wind capacity contracted in AR7.
LCCC is proud to be managing these contracts, providing certainty to investors and supporting British jobs.
Rebecca Beresford,Director of MarketsattheNational Energy System Operator (NESO),said:
Providing certainty for developers is critical to delivering on our collective future energy needs.We're really proud of the work our teams do to help deliver these auctions and to administer the Contracts for Difference process.
Factsheet
Solar:
* Capacitysecured:4.9 GW
* Number of projects: 157
Onshore wind:
* Capacitysecured:1.3 GW
* Number of projects:28
Tidal:
* Capacitysecured:20.9 MW
* Number of projects:4
Offshore wind(fixed and floating):
* Capacitysecured:8.4 GW
* Number of projects:12
Notes to editors
* successful projects can be found here: Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 7: results
*
AR7as a whole isthe largestCfDround ever inawardedcapacity - 14.7 GW.The next largest rounds were AR4which awarded10.8 GW and AR6which awarded9.6 GW
* largestCfDround in terms of number ofprojectsawarded- AR6 was previously the largest round (131projects).InAR7, a total of 189projectswere awarded in Pots 1 & 2 alone,201projectsin total across whole round
* bill impacts based on DESNZ internal analysis of potential consumer bills under a scenario where Solar and Onshore Wind is delivered by AR7 in addition to existing and committed low carbon generation. This considered household bill impacts over the period 2031-35 (when additional renewable capacity would be fully deployed) and found that the average electricity bill for an exemplar 'dual fuel, non-EV owning' household would be lower compared to today (in real terms). This analysis focussed on the incremental impact of the AR7 capacity and as such does not represent a full estimate of future bill levels. For example this analysis doesn't include all potential bill reduction measures such as those announced in the budget
Technology
AR7
Contextual Information
ASP (£/MWh - 2024)
Clearing Price (£/MWh - 2024)
Discount on ASP
LCOE (£/MWh - 2024)
LCOE Gas CCGT, 30% Load Factor (£/MWh - 2024)
Clearing Price Discount on LCOE Gas CCGT, 30% Load Factor
Onshore Wind
92
72.24
21%
58
147
51%
Solar PV
75
65.23
13%
60
147
56%
Note: estimates for thelevelisedcost of electricity (LCOE) shown in the table above are for plants commissioning in 2030. This table is forOnshore Wind,Large ScaleSolarPVandGas CCGT, where a 30% Load Factor is assumed for gas.Generation cost information (LCOE) available here:Electricity generation costs 2025 - GOV.UK
* the homes powered estimate reflects the equivalent number of homes that could be powered based on an estimate of the annual generation from the capacity procured in AR7. It is not possible to continuously power a home through intermittent renewables - this capacity will work alongside the rest of the electricity system to power homes and businesses. The estimate is calculated using publishedsubnationalelectricity consumption data and technology specific load factor assumptions published in theCfD Allocation Round 7 contract allocation framework. The actual generation will vary based on site specific factors.
* investment figures are based on generation costs data publishedfor Onshore WindandSolarin the link provided above.
* jobs figuresrepresentthemaximumnumber ofdirect and indirectjobs which could be supported at the peak across both Solar and Onshore Wind. Thefigures are estimated using theDESNZpublished methodologiesfor each technology which are available here:Solar -Job estimates for solar PV by 2030: methodology note - GOV.UK; Onshore Wind -Job estimates for wind generation by 2030: methodology note - GOV.UK
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
