Sue Ferns, Senior Deputy General Secretary, Prospect:
“Industry and unions argued for an ambitious approach to this auction round, and it is welcome that the government has delivered with an exciting pipeline of clean power projects.
“Offshore wind is not only crucial for keeping the lights on and driving down bills, it has the potential to create thousands of good clean energy jobs across the country. Unions and industry have been working together with government on the Clean Energy Jobs Plan and will now be working to ensure we get the maximum amount of good-quality, unionised jobs out of these new projects.”

Greg Jackson, Founder and CEO, Octopus Energy:
“These are good projects which will add significantly more wind to the grid in sensible locations. To see electricity bills fall, we now need to use our system more efficiently. We need to urgently reassess all infrastructure plans and assumptions, cancel unnecessary projects, and reform the electricity market to reduce wasted wind and avoid wasteful expenditure on unnecessary new infrastructure.”

Steve Foxley, CEO, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult:
“Today’s AR7 results provide clarity and a very welcome boost to the pipeline of offshore wind projects set to play a major role in the UK’s journey towards clean power and net zero. That pipeline is, of course, only one side of the equation, and for the UK to fully reap the benefits that offshore wind offers for both our climate change targets and our energy security we must maintain a laser like focus on innovation. That means meeting the technology challenges of delivering the volume of offshore wind capacity needed, whether that’s through supercharging our ability to manufacture turbines quickly, finding new approaches to extending the life of our existing fleet, or embracing new smart approaches to how we manage and maintain turbines. Today’s results give us more certainty on the opportunity, now let’s get to work on making it a reality.”

Richard Copeland, Project Director, Pentland floating offshore wind farm:
“This CfD award gives us the certainty to move Pentland into the next phase and work closely with the Scottish and UK supply chain. It creates opportunities for skilled jobs, local investment and long-term capability in floating offshore wind”.

Andy Prendergast, National Secretary, GMB:
“This is obviously good news; securing significant investment in clean power is what we need to hit net zero. But the real litmus test will be if it delivers the jobs so often promised and so often fail to materialise.
“This is a golden opportunity to on-shore supply chains and create genuine employment opportunities across the UK. It’s imperative that we take it.”

Ana Musat, Executive Director of Policy, RenewableUK:
“This is a great result for Britain’s energy security and for hard-pressed billpayers, because these new offshore wind farms will generate the power we need at a lower cost than new gas or nuclear plants, and at a stable and predictable price.
“The UK has made the right decision to roll out renewables at speed and at scale, giving our country greater energy security and protecting consumers against volatile global gas prices which caused the last energy crisis. Homegrown power is the best defence against geopolitical volatility, and this auction is a significant step forward towards energy independence.
“Investment in renewables is also crucial to keep pace with the UK’s need for more energy. Electricity demand is set to increase significantly in the years ahead as existing nuclear and gas capacity retires, so the 8.4 GW awarded contracts today will be crucial for economic growth.
“Growing the offshore wind sector’s supply chain is a critical part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy, and rightly so. Our analysis shows that maximising investment in high-value parts of the UK’s offshore wind supply chain could deliver an extra £25 billion to our economy over the next decade, building on the 150 factories and hundreds of businesses we have around the country which are already benefitting from contracts to build and manage our world-class offshore wind farms”.

Tancrède Fulop, senior equity analyst, Morningstar
“RWE is the clear winner of the auction, securing 6.9 GW of the 8.4 GW awarded. The generous strike price £91/MWh – indexed over 20 years rather than the previous 15 – supports a high single digit IRR, making these projects value accretive. The market has yet to fully factor in this value creation.
By contrast, Ørsted comes out as the loser. Financial constraints tied to its US challenges limited its ability to compete, and the company has already abandoned the Hornsea 4 project it won at AR6.
This auction is also a relief for the industry after several failed tenders across Europe. The UK’s aggressive push – combined with more viable economics – reduces the risk of cancellations and gives developers confidence to proceed.”

Eluned Morgan, First Minister of Wales:
“I’m delighted that two Welsh offshore wind projects have secured contracts in the latest UK auction. This demonstrates how Wales is well placed to build on its existing capacity for renewable energy, to reap the benefits of these new projects bringing many high-quality jobs and wider economic benefits to our economy.
“The floating offshore project off the coast of Pembrokeshire will help kickstart the new floating offshore wind industry for Wales and, together with extending the fixed offshore wind generation in north Wales, will utilise the latest technology and help to reduce bills and boost our energy security.”
Jess Ralston, Energy Analyst, Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit:
“It might not be itemised on bills, but more British renewables squeezing gas off the system has the effect of reducing wholesale power prices, lowering those costs for both industry and households. There’s lots of large numbers being bandied around, but the reality is that the offshore wind projects secured today are likely to see levies on bills break-even. And in the event of another gas price spike, which given uncertainty in petro-states worldwide is possible, could see billpayers paid back.”

Rachel Solomon Williams, Executive Director, Aldersgate Group:
“The positive outcome of the AR7 auction, securing 8.4GW of clean energy, marks a welcome step forward in the UK’s energy transition. It sends a clear signal of business confidence in the UK as a destination for investment and provides a wider assurance to investors and developers at a critical moment for scaling up low-carbon power, strengthening energy security, and supporting economic growth.
“These price contracts are vital to delivering a clean power system. However, other factors will also affect whether these projects are built and the full economic benefits are realised for UK businesses and consumers. We therefore look forward to seeing continued acceleration of grid rollout, alongside a focus on domestic supply chain development.”

Susie Elks, Senior Policy Advisor, E3G:
“Today’s auction has unlocked an unprecedented amount of renewable energy for the UK. It’s a crucial step to securing a British-owned energy supply which cannot be disrupted by international events. The secured price will lower bills for families up and down the country. It’s clear that renewable technology can provide clean, affordable and plentiful energy for all of us. Now the government must work to ensure ordinary people feel the benefits in their everyday lives”