Delivery Year

CfD Allocation Round 8 (AR8): timeline and notices

The AR8 application window ran from 20 July to 7 August 2026. The CfD allocation round microsite gives 19 November 2026 for both the Contract Budget Notice and NESO's Notice of Auction, which sets the sealed bid window. The Pending Applications process does not apply to AR8.

Data as of 19 October 2026. Built only from public data and our published method. Information only, not advice.

Timetable so far

DESNZ established AR8 on 23 April 2026. The application window ran from 20 July to 7 August 2026. The Pending Applications process does not apply to AR8, so the round does not run to an expedited timeline: the sealed bid window follows the conclusion of the appeals process for all non-qualifying applications.

AR8 timetable from DESNZ notices and the CfD allocation round microsite (checked 19 October 2026)
DateStepSource
16 December 2025DESNZ opened its AR8 collection pageDESNZ
23 April 2026Allocation Round Notice: the Secretary of State established AR8DESNZ
5 May 2026Initial Clean Industry Bonus budget notice publishedDESNZ
1 June 2026AR8 Allocation Framework and standard terms and conditions publishedDESNZ
6 July 2026Contract Framework, Counterparty Costs, Standard Terms, Application Window and Pot and Price notices publishedDESNZ
20 July 2026Application window opened; the same day DESNZ published the Clean Industry Bonus Final Budget Notice (dated 18 July 2026): £515m in totalDESNZ
7 August 2026Application window closedDESNZ
19 November 2026Contract Budget Notice (DESNZ): the initial budget for each potCfD microsite
19 November 2026Notice of Auction (NESO): sets the sealed bid windowCfD microsite
Not yet datedSealed bid window: after appeals for all non-qualifying applications have concludedCfD microsite

The 19 November notices

The Contract Budget Notice sets the initial budget for each pot. The Pot and Price Notice adds that full details of any other separate clearing prices, maxima or minima are given in the Contract Budget Notice. The Notice of Auction, issued by NESO as the delivery body, confirms the sealed bid window. Under rule 12.2 of the AR8 Allocation Framework, the sealed bid window opens no less than 10 working days, and closes no less than 15 working days, after NESO issues the Notice of Auction.

Pots and delivery years

AR8 pots and delivery years (Pot and Price Notice and Application Window Notice, 6 July 2026)
PotTechnologiesDelivery years
Pot 1Solar PV (over 5 MW)2028/29, 2029/30, 2030/31
Pot 2Onshore wind and remote island wind (over 5 MW)2028/29, 2029/30, 2030/31
Pot 3Offshore wind2029/30, 2030/31, 2031/32
Pot 4Floating offshore wind and other deepwater offshore wind2029/30, 2030/31, 2031/32
Pot 5Advanced conversion technology, anaerobic digestion (over 5 MW), dedicated biomass with CHP, energy from waste with CHP, geothermal, hydro (over 5 MW and under 50 MW), landfill gas, sewage gas, tidal stream and wave2029/30, 2030/31

In Pot 3, offshore wind connecting in transmission tariff zones 1 to 12, or distribution licence areas 17 and 18, has a separate clearing price from offshore wind connecting in tariff zones 13 to 27 or licence areas 10 to 16 and 19 to 23.

Budgets and bid visibility

The Pot and Price Notice (6 July 2026) states that the Government has visibility of anonymised bids in Pots 1 to 4, and that budgets for those pots are confirmed after applications have been assessed. The Clean Industry Bonus budget for AR8 is £515m in total, with a portion ring-fenced for floating offshore wind (Final Budget Notice). The Pot and Price Notice also lists the administrative strike prices that cap bids in each technology; see the notice for the figures.

The previous round

AR7 awarded 14.67 GW to 201 projects (DESNZ results, final results published 10 February 2026). Results for every round are in the CfD allocation round results guide.

Questions

When is the CfD AR8 auction?

No date is set yet for the sealed bid window. The CfD microsite gives 19 November 2026 for NESO's Notice of Auction, which sets it. Under rule 12.2 of the AR8 Allocation Framework the window opens no less than 10 working days, and closes no less than 15 working days, after that notice.

When is the AR8 Contract Budget Notice published?

The CfD allocation round microsite gives 19 November 2026. The notice sets the initial budget for each pot.

When did the AR8 application window open and close?

It opened on 20 July 2026 and closed on 7 August 2026 (DESNZ Application Window Notice, 6 July 2026).

Which technologies are in each AR8 pot?

Pot 1: Solar PV (over 5 MW). Pot 2: Onshore wind and remote island wind (over 5 MW). Pot 3: Offshore wind. Pot 4: Floating offshore wind and other deepwater offshore wind. Pot 5: Advanced conversion technology, anaerobic digestion (over 5 MW), dedicated biomass with CHP, energy from waste with CHP, geothermal, hydro (over 5 MW and under 50 MW), landfill gas, sewage gas, tidal stream and wave.

Does the Pending Applications process apply to AR8?

No. DESNZ decided that the Pending Applications process does not apply to AR8, so the sealed bid window follows the conclusion of appeals for all non-qualifying applications.

What is the AR8 Clean Industry Bonus budget?

£515m in total, with a portion ring-fenced for floating offshore wind (DESNZ Final Budget Notice, 18 July 2026).

Sources

Figures are a snapshot of the latest published data and are rebuilt with every data refresh. Check primary sources before relying on any figure. Methodology & data use · Plans