UK Achieves Record Offshore Wind Auction in Push for Clean Power

The UK government’s latest offshore wind auction set a new benchmark for renewable energy procurement, reflecting ongoing efforts to meet national clean electricity targets by 2030.

In January 2026, the UK government’s Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 7 (AR7) secured 8.4 GW of offshore wind capacity, marking the largest single procurement of its kind in both UK and European history. The projects awarded through this auction include both fixed-bottom and floating wind installations, with new developments in Scotland and Wales.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero stated that the capacity secured is expected to generate enough clean electricity to supply the equivalent of more than 12 million homes. The AR7 results are also projected to unlock £22 billion in private investment and support around 7,000 skilled jobs across the country.

The auction allocated 8.2 GW to fixed-bottom offshore wind and 192 MW to floating wind projects. The Berwick Bank project in Scotland and the Awel Y Mor project in Wales were among those included, representing the first new offshore wind projects in those regions since 2022 and in over a decade, respectively.

What the numbers show

• 8.4 GW of offshore wind capacity secured in AR7
• £90.91/MWh average strike price for fixed-bottom wind
• UK offshore wind pipeline reached 30.7 GW installed or committed before AR7
• 16.1 GW of operational offshore wind capacity by end of 2025

Prior to the AR7 auction, the UK had 30.7 GW of offshore wind capacity either installed or committed, with an additional 7.2 GW consented. The government’s 2030 target for offshore wind stands at 43–50 GW, and the AR7 results contribute to progress toward this goal.

By the end of 2025, the UK’s operational offshore wind fleet consisted of 16.1 GW spread across 2,878 turbines, providing enough electricity to power more than 16 million homes annually. In 2025, Great Britain approved 9.9 GW of new offshore wind projects, a substantial increase from 1.3 GW approved in 2024.

The average strike price achieved in AR7 was approximately £90.91 per megawatt-hour for fixed-bottom projects and £216 per megawatt-hour for floating wind. According to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, the auction result puts the UK on track to deliver its clean power mission by 2030, with the price secured stated as 40% lower than the cost of building and operating a new gas plant.

Globally, offshore wind capacity grew by 15% over twelve months to reach 80.9 GW, with the UK holding a pipeline of 96 GW across 123 projects. Offshore Energies UK stated that achieving the Clean Power 2030 target required the AR7 auction to award more than 8 GW, a threshold that was met in this round.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.