Groupe Public Ferroviaire (GPF) – SNCF is a French state-owned railway company that operates the country's national rail network. The company was formed in 1938 and has since then been responsible for the management and operation of France's railway infrastructure, including high-speed trains, regional trains, and freight trains. GPF-SNCF is one of the largest railway companies in Europe, with a workforce of over 260,000 employees and a network spanning over 30,000 kilometers.

In recent years, GPF-SNCF has been at the forefront of the decarbonisation movement in the transportation sector. The company has set ambitious targets to reduce its carbon footprint and transition towards a more sustainable future. One of the key strategies that GPF-SNCF has adopted to achieve this goal is the integration of renewable energy sources into its operations.

Corporate energy and corporate PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) are two important concepts that GPF-SNCF has embraced in its quest for decarbonisation. Corporate energy refers to the use of renewable energy sources to power a company's operations, while corporate PPA is an agreement between a company and a renewable energy provider to purchase electricity from a specific renewable energy project.

GPF-SNCF has signed several corporate PPAs with renewable energy providers in recent years. In 2019, the company signed a 20-year agreement with EDF Renewables to purchase 100 MW of wind power from the Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm. The wind farm is expected to generate enough electricity to power 20% of GPF-SNCF's high-speed trains.

In addition to wind power, GPF-SNCF has also invested in solar energy. In 2018, the company signed a 25-year corporate PPA with Voltalia to purchase 143 GWh of solar energy per year from the Canadel solar power plant. The plant is expected to generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 50,000 households.

GPF-SNCF's commitment to renewable energy is not limited to corporate PPAs. The company has also invested in its own renewable energy projects. In 2019, GPF-SNCF inaugurated a 4 MW solar power plant at its maintenance facility in Toulouse. The plant is expected to generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 2,000 households and reduce the company's carbon footprint by 2,000 tons of CO2 per year.

GPF-SNCF's efforts towards decarbonisation have not gone unnoticed. In 2020, the company was awarded the "Renewable Energy User of the Year" award by the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA). The award recognizes companies that have demonstrated leadership in renewable energy procurement and have made significant contributions towards the decarbonisation of the global economy.

In conclusion, Groupe Public Ferroviaire (GPF) – SNCF is a French state-owned railway company that has embraced renewable energy as a key strategy towards decarbonisation. The company has signed several corporate PPAs with renewable energy providers and has invested in its own renewable energy projects. GPF-SNCF's commitment to renewable energy has earned it recognition as a leader in the decarbonisation movement, and the company's efforts are likely to inspire other companies in the transportation sector to follow suit.