Contracts for Difference

In a statement to the House of Commons, the minister congratulated the new Deputy Speaker and provided an update on the results of the sixth contracts for difference allocation round. The minister highlighted that the previous government had left the country exposed to volatile international fossil fuel markets, leading to a severe cost-of-living and energy bills crisis. The only way to provide the country with the energy security it deserves, the minister argued, is through home-grown clean energy that the government controls. The minister then went on to detail the results of the latest auction, which the minister described as a record-breaking success. The government secured 131 new clean energy projects, more than any previous auction, across England, Scotland, and Wales. This includes a significant increase in solar photovoltaic projects, unlocking 3.3 GW of new solar capacity, a 20% increase on the country's installed capacity. The minister also noted that the government had secured almost 1 GW of onshore wind, but lamented that the previous Conservative government's near-total ban on onshore wind in England had severely limited the pipeline of projects. The minister stated that this ban has now been lifted, and the government's onshore wind taskforce will work with industry to rebuild the project pipeline. Lastly, the minister highlighted the success of the auction in securing a 400 MW floating offshore wind project, which is more than 10 times bigger than the previous largest floating offshore wind farm in the country. The minister described this as a major step forward in the government's mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower and help the country break free from the volatility of global gas markets.