SNCF Énergie, a subsidiary of SNCF Voyageurs, signed four new corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs) in July with Neoen, France’s leading independent renewable energy producer. The contracts, lasting between 20 and 25 years, will take effect on January 1, 2026. Under the agreement, Neoen will supply 137 gigawatt hours (GWh) of solar electricity annually from four solar plants with a combined capacity of 111 megawatt-peak (MWp).
A response to electricity market volatility
This long-term contractual framework allows Neoen to ensure profitability and secure stable revenues to support future project development. For SNCF Voyageurs, the PPAs serve as a tool to stabilise procurement costs amid persistent volatility in wholesale electricity markets. These agreements follow an initial PPA signed with Neoen in 2024 for the Couret solar farm.
The four solar plants involved are located in Romilly (42 MWp, Grand-Est), Loirécopark (39 MWp, Sarthe), Champblanc (15 MWp, Charente), and Labouheyre (14 MWp, Landes). Combined, they will generate electricity equivalent to the annual consumption of 11,000 high-speed train journeys on the Paris–Bordeaux route, according to the data provided.
Total contracted volume exceeds 300 GWh annually
With these additional PPAs, SNCF Voyageurs advances its long-term strategy to diversify its electricity mix. Once operational, the total electricity volume purchased through PPAs will exceed 300 GWh per year, representing 29% of SNCF Énergie’s total renewable electricity procured via such agreements.
The stated objective is to reach 40 to 50% renewable energy in electricity used for train traction by 2027–2028, with 20% of that supplied through direct purchase agreements. These targets also address growing requirements from Transport Organising Authorities, who increasingly include renewable energy criteria in their tenders.
Extending industrial partnerships
The partnership between SNCF Énergie and Neoen, initiated in 2024, is presented by both companies as a driver of growth and stability. The development of the solar projects was carried out in coordination with local stakeholders and aligns with the national strategy to expand solar capacity.
Guillaume Decaen, Neoen’s CEO for France, stated that the contracts strengthen the long-term relationship with SNCF while supporting the delivery of locally produced, cost-competitive electricity. Olivier Menuet, President of SNCF Énergie, highlighted that this partnership represents an unprecedented volume in France for solar PPAs between an independent producer and a rail operator.
