2.2GW of solar successful in UK’s latest renewables auction

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Lightsource bp is among the big winners in today’s renewables auction. Image: Lightsource BP

More than 2GW of solar has won contracts in the UK’s latest renewables auction clearing at a strike price of £53.40/MWh (US$64.19/MWh).

The country’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) confirmed today the results of the fourth allocation round (AR4) of the UK’s Contracts for Difference scheme, revealing a total of 66 solar projects totalling 2.2GW had secured contracts.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

The auction’s results confirmed the winning strike price for solar to be £45.99/MWh (US$55.30/MWh), however the auction’s prices are based on pricing in 2012 which, when taking into account inflation, mean projects will be paid £53.40/MWh – or £0.0534/kWh – for the ten-year duration of the contract.

Of those contracts, five are to begin generating power within the 2023/24 financial year, with the rest set to come on stream in 2024/25.

The solar projects contracted capacities range in capacity from 6MW to 112MW. The 112MW contract awarded is for Cleve Hill, a project with a planned capacity of around 350MW that, when complete, will become the country’s largest solar farm.

Chris Hewett, chief executive at national trade body Solar Energy UK, said the auction results cemented solar as a “major part of the solution to Britain’s energy crisis”.

“Solar and wind are now undeniably the cheapest, as well as the cleanest, way to power the country,” he said.

Developer JBM Solar was the biggest winner, securing 320MW of contracts, while other notable winners include utility ScottishPower and Lightsource bp, which secured 288MW and 130MW respectively.

Finlay Colville, head of market research at PV Tech publisher Solar Media, described the auction results as a “massive positive for the UK industry”.

“The results probably far exceed anyone’s expectations, and will offer a number of developers and investors security to go ahead with build over the next few years. And the risk free proposition of the winners in the CfD auction will also provide a buffer for some of the other projects under development that require more work and an alternative means of financing through PPAs,” he said.

In total and across all technologies, CfD AR4 will support 11GW of renewables coming onstream in the UK, with offshore wind securing the bulk – some 7GW – of capacity at a price of £37.35/MWh (£43.37/MWh including inflation).

Read Next

September 18, 2025
The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) has forecast that Canada will add between 17GW and 26GW of solar PV over the next decade.
September 15, 2025
Italy’s latest renewable energy tender has received 12GW of bids, of which the majority, 10GW, came from solar PV.
September 9, 2025
The US is forecast to reach between US$55-60 billion in clean energy tax credit monetisation in 2025, according to a report from clean energy financing technology platform Crux.
September 9, 2025
Australia's National Electricity Market (NEM) broke records yesterday when renewables supplied 76.4% of total electricity demand, with solar power contributing nearly 60% of the record-breaking clean energy mix.
September 8, 2025
France has awarded 971MW of ground-mount solar capacity, to 165 projects, in the eighth round of the PPE2 PV tender.
Premium
September 2, 2025
In August 2025, the final month of Australia’s winter, utility-scale and rooftop solar PV generation in the National Electricity Market (NEM) saw a dramatic 22.5% month-on-month increase to 3,338GWh.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA