Today the government published the remaining results from the Contracts for Difference (CfD) Auction Round 7 (AR7) following the results of the offshore wind auction on 14th January 2026.
Commenting on behalf of the Academy, Dr Simon Harrison FREng said:
“As engineers, we judge progress by delivery, not just ambition. The 8.4 GW of offshore wind and floating offshore wind capacity secured in CfD AR7 in January, once built, will represent a material shift in the UK’s trajectory toward a resilient, low-carbon energy system.
"The expected £22 billion in private investment, catalysed by more than £200 million of public funding for domestic supply chain strengthening, underscores the critical role of engineering in wider industrial renewal. These investments are projected to create around 7,000 skilled jobs, including substantial growth in Scotland, reflecting engineering-led regeneration in regions undergoing industrial transition.
"Today’s results from the AR7a onshore wind, solar, and tidal auctions are a welcome addition to the pipeline, adding an additional 6.2 GW with 4.9 GW from solar alone – the largest ever procurement of solar in the UK. This level of ambition needs to continue into AR8 and beyond as we manage growth, diversification, and geographic distribution of assets across the electricity system. It also depends on dealing effectively with the complexities of integration into the system, alongside innovations in digitalisation, storage, networks, operation, accessing flexibility, and port and manufacturing infrastructure.
"For AR7, an auction result is just the start; it presents a substantial engineering challenge to deliver the infrastructure and to ensure it functions in a complex, dynamic system. Delivering these projects safely, efficiently, and at pace will demand world-class design, manufacturing, project management, and systems integration. With continued policy stability and investment in skills and supply chains, the UK can maintain its international leadership in offshore wind and strengthen the resilience of its future energy system.”
Notes for editors
- The Royal Academy of Engineering creates and leads a community of outstanding experts and innovators to engineer better lives. As a charity and a Fellowship, we deliver public benefit from excellence in engineering and technology and convene leading businesspeople, entrepreneurs, innovators and academics across engineering and technology. As a National Academy, we provide leadership for engineering and technology, and independent, expert advice to policymakers in the UK and beyond. Our work is enabled by funding from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, corporate and university partners, charitable trusts and foundations, and individual donors.