Neoen, one of the world’s leading producers of exclusively renewable energy, has signed a corporate power purchase agreement (PPA) for 139 MWp with SNCF Energie, the branch of SNCF dedicated to the sourcing of electricity supply for trains in France.
Under the 25-year agreement, SNCF Energie, the branch of SNCF Voyageurs for the supply of green energy for trains, will purchase all the electricity and guarantees of origin produced by Le Couret agrisolar park in Haute-Vienne, France (139 MWp) as soon as the park is commissioned.
The project, which follows Neoen’s develop-to-own model, will be France’s largest solar park operating under a PPA with SNCF.
Construction of the Neoen agrisolar park to begin in 2026
The solar project has been granted the required authorisations and its connection to the grid is secured. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026, with commissioning to follow in 2028. The electricity produced at Le Couret will cover the equivalent of the annual supply for the high-speed Paris-Marseille line.
“Back in 2007, we led the way in terms of Responsible Procurement and this agreement is a step further along the road to Responsible Energy that we chose to follow in 2016 – aiming for energy sobriety and efficiency, for low-carbon solutions, moving away from fossil fuels thanks to hybrid trains, biofuels, batteries or hydrogen powered trains, and for the use of electricity from renewable sources, hence the PPAs. As France’s number one consumer of electricity, we have a duty to be exemplary. The PPA with Neoen – my respect and gratitude to their teams and leaders – is another demonstration of our determination to continue purchasing contracting PPAs, as we have been doing since 2018. We are approaching our target of 20 PPAs for a total of 1.1 TWh of renewably sourced electricity. The partnership with Neoen underpins our progress and makes it a reality,” said Olivier Menuet, President of SNCF Energie and Director of the Ecology and Energy Transition at SNCF Voyageurs.
Thanks to close collaboration between Neoen, local officials and the Chamber of agriculture, the solar farm will combine renewable electricity production with sheep farming. A farmer will use the 150 hectares as grazing land.
The solar farm to be installed is designed to enable cohabitation and to safeguard animal well-being. The project includes a farmhouse, hay barn/shearing area and sheepfold for the farmer’s use. Two apprentices will also be trained in the particularities of raising sheep in an agrivoltaic park.
France’s state-owned rail operator wants to reach more than 1000 GWh of energy from photovoltaic and wind power plants by 2027.
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