The Government has awarded a record slate of renewable energy projects in Allocation Round 7 (AR7), marking its largest clean power auction to date and furthering the drive to lower bills and strengthen energy security.

The round secured the UK's biggest-ever procurement of solar at 4.9GW, alongside 1.3GW of onshore wind and 20.9MW of tidal stream capacity.

Combined with January's offshore wind outcome, the government has now contracted 14.7GW across 201 projects — enough to meet the equivalent annual electricity demand of around 16 million homes. Ministers said the results keep the UK on course for its 2030 clean power goal and offer strong value for billpayers, with new onshore wind clearing at £72.24/MWh and solar at £65.23/MWh — both less than half the £147/MWh cost of building and operating new gas-fired generation.

Once operational, the projects are expected to put sustained downward pressure on wholesale prices and cut exposure to fossil fuel price shocks. The round is projected to unlock an additional £5bn of private investment and support up to 10,000 jobs across the supply chain and delivery phases.

Flagship schemes include Imerys Wind Farm in Cornwall — the largest onshore wind project to be successful in England in a decade — and Sanquhar II Wind Farm in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, now the UK's fourth-largest onshore wind farm. West Burton solar farm, a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, is the largest solar farm ever to win a government renewables contract, repurposing the site of the last coal-fired power station into a major hub for clean, homegrown electricity.

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The auction outcome complements the government and Great British Energy's Local Power Plan, which will provide up to £1bn so communities can own and control local clean energy schemes — described as the largest public investment in community energy in the UK's history. It follows wider action to cut bills, including an average £150 reduction from April and the Warm Homes Plan to fund large-scale energy-efficiency upgrades.

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 new onshore wind and solar that is over 50% cheaper than the cost of building and operating new gas.

"By backing solar and onshore wind at scale, we're driving bills down for good and protecting families, businesses, and our country from the fossil fuel rollercoaster controlled by petrostates and dictators. This is how we take back control of our energy and deliver a new era of energy abundance and independence."

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, at a good price for 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 the CfD 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 Markets at the National 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."