New power purchase deal will see London's Tube powered by solar

Transport for London (TfL) has signed a 15-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with EDF power solutions UK for the delivery of electricity from the Longfield solar farm in Essex.

EDF power solutions UK secured the planning permission for Longfield solar plus storage farm in June 2023 and this contract will help support in its construction.

The PPA will see 20% of Longfield's total output provided to power the Tube. This will result in a saving of over 28,000 tonnes of carbon over the 15-year period.

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According to EDF, TfL is London’s largest single consumer of electricity, using around 1.6TWh per year. The power from Longfield will be supplied at a fixed price, helping to mitigate market volatility and its impacts on TfL.

Matthieu Hue, CEO of EDF power solutions UK, said: “We are proud to partner with TfL on this PPA, which marks a significant step forward for the delivery of our Longfield solar farm. This agreement is built upon our shared commitment to sustainability and investing in clean energy, helping to power essential public services with low-carbon electricity and support the UK’s journey to net zero.”

Lilli Matson, TfL’s chief Safety, Health and Environment officer, added: “We are using our purchasing power to make public transport the most environmentally sustainable choice Londoners can make. By giving EDF power solutions UK the security to invest in new renewable energy sources in the UK, we are also creating new green jobs, improving the local biodiversity and wildlife, and stimulating the national economy. This will open doors to more public-private approaches to further accelerate the decarbonisation of GB’s grid.”

TfL has a goal to use 100% renewable sources of electricity across its operations by 2030. This PPA will support the firm in achieving that goal.