Record solar, onshore wind, and tidal projects have been delivered at Britain’s biggest-ever renewables auction.
This comes just weeks after a previous renewables auction delivered the single biggest procurement of offshore wind that Europe has seen, 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 project to be successful in England in a decade, and new tidal stream schemes.
Combined with January’s offshore wind results, the government has now delivered a record 201 projects, generating 14.7GW of new clean power – enough to supply the equivalent of 16 million homes.
Securing 2030 clean power targets
The results of the renewables auction put the UK on track for its 2030 clean power target, securing clean, homegrown energy at a good value.
New onshore wind has been agreed at a price of £72.24/MWh and new solar at £65.23/MWh, both under half the £147/MWh cost of building and operating new gas power stations.
Once built and generating, new, clean, homegrown power secured today will reduce household bills and drive down wholesale prices, while protecting families and businesses from fossil fuel price shocks that have triggered half of all recessions since the 1970s.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Results from the latest renewables auction show that once again, 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.”
Renewables auction supports regional UK projects
These projects deliver major infrastructure for the country as Britain races to cut energy bills and meet future electricity demand – unlocking an additional £5bn in private sector investment and supporting up to 10,000 jobs.
Successful projects from the latest clean energy auction include:
- Imerys Wind Farm in Cornwall – the largest onshore wind project to be successful in England in a decade, helping rebuild an industry that was stagnant under the de facto onshore wind ban.
- Sanquhar II Wind Farm in Dumfries 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.
The Local Power Plan: Helping communities control their own energy
Britain is building clean, homegrown energy at every scale – these clean energy auction results follow the publication of the government’s Local Power Plan.
A fund of up to £1bn 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 also follows wider action to cut energy bills, including taking an average of £150 off bills from April and delivering the biggest ever public investment in home energy upgrades through the Warm Homes Plan.
“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,” concluded Chris Stark, Head of Mission Control.
