Greater Manchester signs 20-year solar PPA to power carbon-neutral public transport

Greater Manchester has agreed a 20-year power purchase agreement with AGR Power for 42 GWh of solar energy per year, sourced from a development in the east of England. The fixed-price deal covers the electricity needs of the Metrolink tram network and more than half of Transport for Greater Manchester's total energy use, shielding passengers and taxpayers from price spikes while supporting new renewable generation. The PPA is part of a broader push to make the Bee Network the UK's first carbon-neutral public transport system, with a fully zero-emission bus fleet targeted by 2030 and around 40% of buses expected to be electric by the end of this year. The transition is projected to cut over 76,000 tonnes of CO2 and 280 tonnes of nitrogen dioxide annually. If successful, TfGM may sign additional PPAs to cover the future electric bus fleet.