The UK government has confirmed a new wave of onshore renewable energy projects under the Contracts for Difference scheme following last month’s record-breaking offshore wind auction.
Allocation Round 7 (AR7) results show 4.9GW of solar and 1.3GW of onshore wind capacity secured across the UK, accelerating the pace at which clean electricity is rolled out across the country.
Solar projects were awarded contracts at an exercise price of £65.23 per megawatt hour (in 2024 prices), which is below the £70/MWh achieved in Allocation Round 6 and represents the largest volume of solar capacity ever secured in a single CfD auction.
Onshore wind projects were secured at an exercise price of £72/MWh, slightly above the AR6 average of £71/MWh, but still below the £73/MWh observed in Allocation Round 5, reflecting continued cost stability in the sector.
Once completed, the projects announced today will increase the UK’s total CfD-supported wind and solar capacity to 50.6 GW, including assets already in operation or under construction. The UK currently has 16.3GW of installed onshore wind capacity and more than 21GW of solar capacity, based on figures up to September 2025.
In total, AR7 has secured 14.7 GW of renewable energy projects across all technologies, representing another important step towards decarbonizing the power system and strengthening domestic energy supplies.
Frankie Mayo, senior analyst at Ember, said the results highlight the momentum behind the rollout of clean energy across the UK.
“This is a great clean energy achievement,” Mayo said. “Wind and solar power are unstoppable across the UK. New projects have been announced today that will provide access to reliable, home-grown energy and reduce our reliance on volatile fossil fuels for decades to come.”
The latest CfD findings come as ministers continue to position renewable energy as central to the UK’s long-term energy security and net zero strategy, with onshore wind and solar increasingly seen as one of the fastest and most cost-effective technologies to be deployed at scale.
