CfD Stakeholder Bulletin — 20 February 2026
Summary
DESNZ sets the CfD Allocation Round 8 Supply Chain Plan application window from 1-7 April 2026 for large-scale solar and onshore wind projects (300MW+). Prospective applicants must email their intention to submit during the week before the window opens. The department will provide a secure online platform for electronic submissions.
Why it matters
This is routine administrative scheduling for an existing policy requirement. Supply Chain Plans add compliance costs and administrative barriers without addressing the fundamental constraint that large projects face: grid connection queues that can stretch years regardless of supply chain credentials.
Key facts
- •Application window: 1-7 April 2026
- •Applies to solar and onshore wind projects 300MW+
- •Must email intention to submit during week before window opens
- •Electronic submission via secure platform
Timeline
Areas affected
Related programmes
Memo
Contracts for Difference: Stakeholder Bulletin 20 February 2026 Government Publishes date for the opening window of Allocation Round 8 Supply Chain Plan submissions for large-scale solar and onshore wind projects The government published Supply Chain Plan (SCP) guidance and a questionnaire linked to the Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 8 in October 2025 to apply to solar projects of 300MW in capacity and above. It was updated in February 2026 to reflect the continuation of SCP policy for onshore wind in AR8 (for projects of 300MW in capacity and above), publishing the corresponding questionnaire and updated guidance. This bulletin confirms that the application window for Supply Chain Plans for Allocation Round 8 will be from Wednesday 1 April 2026 at 00:01 until Tuesday 7April 23:59. During the calendar week before the opening of the SCP application window, prospective applicants should email the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero at supplychainplan@energysecurity.gov.uk indicating their intention to submit an SCP for assessment. The Department will set up a secure online management platform for applicants to use to submit an SCP electronically. General Data Protection Regulation This stakeholder bulletin is being circulated to people who have opted in to the Contract for Difference stakeholder contact list. We issue these stakeholder bulletins as a convenience to interested parties, however it is not in any way essential to be on this list to participate in major consultations or allocation rounds. Purpose & scope of this list: This list is managed by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (and any successor departments) and will be used to inform interested parties of policy developments relevant to the Contract for Difference scheme for renewable energy projects (and any direct successor schemes). It is not used for any other purposes. To be removed from the circulation list: Please send a blank e-mail with the subject ‘opt out’ (if the receiving e-mail you use is different to the one you send the e-mail from, include that e-mail address in the subject of the e-mail) to ContractsforDifference@energysecurity.gov.uk If you have received this indirectly and want to be added to this list: Send a blank e-mail with the subject line ‘opt in’ to ContractsforDifference@energysecurity.gov.uk. You can withdraw your consent to opt in at any time. We will normally keep your address on this list until you: a) withdraw your consent to opt in, b) the scheme closes without any successor, c) we receive reports your email address is no longer operational, or d) you do not respond to a periodic request from us to reconfirm your desire to opt in.