SNCF Energie has signed four corporate power purchase agreements with Neoen totalling 111MWp of solar capacity.
The deals, signed in July for 20 to 25 years, will see Neoen supply 137GWh of renewable electricity a year from 1 January 2026 to SNCF Voyageurs.
According to the companies, the output is equivalent to powering the 11,000 annual high-speed train trips between Paris and Bordeaux.
The solar parks covered by the agreements are Romilly at 42MWp in Grand-Est, Loirécopark at 39MWp in Sarthe, Champblanc at 15MWp in Charente and Labouheyre at 14MWp in Landes.
Neoen France chief executive Guillaume Decaen said: “We are proud to supply the French railways with competitive, local, green electricity generated by our solar farms. These projects, developed in collaboration with local stakeholders, are a clear illustration of the role played by local regions in the nation’s energy transition.”
Neoen group chief executive Xavier Barbaro said: “Supporting major industrial players as they decarbonise their operations lies at the heart of our strategy, and our ambition is to become their partner of choice, in France and around the world.”
Olivier Menuet, president of SNCF Energie and director of ecology and energy transition at SNCF Voyageurs, said: “When all the parks are operational, the electricity generated by renewable sources will amount to over 300GWh per annum, which equates to 29% of SNCF Energie’s renewable electricity procurement under PPAs. This is a first in France, we are proud to say.”
Richard Fécamp, general manager of SNCF Energie, added: “It’s a big step towards reaching SNCF Voyageurs’ green sourcing target.”
SNCF Voyageurs is aiming to run its trains on 40-50% renewable electricity by 2027-2028, with corporate PPAs accounting for 20% of that share.