Eurotunnel launches a unique solar programme to cover 12% of its electricity consumption by 2028

A pioneering technological breakthrough to partially power trains 
running through the Channel Tunnel with solar energy.

Coquelles, 1^st September 2025 - Eurotunnel has announced the launch of a solar energy production programme at its Coquelles terminal, aiming to cover up to 12% of its electricity needs from 2028 onwards.

The installation will comprise of 80,000 solar panels, spread over 55 hectares of the French site, with a total electricity production capacity of approximately 48 MWp. The electricity produced will mainly be used to power the overhead lines for trains travelling under the Channel, which accounts for the majority of the site's annual electricity consumption.

The main innovation of this programme lies in the design and implementation of an electrical engineering system for railway traction power supply, known as ‘power to traction’, which allows the renewable electricity produced to be fed directly into the rail power supply network without passing through the public transport network. This is a world first in the rail energy sector, also involving a specific transformation of the electricity produced to adapt it to the needs of rail traction.

An innovative project promoting decarbonisation 

Estimated at around €50 million, the investment will enable Eurotunnel to continue modernising its infrastructure while enhancing its territorial footprint in a carbon-free manner. The solar programme is expected to have an operating life of 30 years. The installation and development of the technology will involve up to 200 people over 24 to 30 months and is being carried out in close collaboration with local economic players.

This programme is part of the Getlink Group's sustainability strategy, which aims to diversify its electricity supply, strengthen its energy independence and sustainably reduce its carbon footprint, consolidating its choice of a low-carbon transition model. The mobilisation of in-house expertise and the integration of innovative technologies place the company at the forefront of decarbonisation, while ensuring controlled, sustainable production that is tailored to the Group's strategic needs.

Yann Leriche, Chief Executive Officer of Getlink: "This project is a world first in the railway sector and embodies the Group's ambition to push the boundaries of innovation, while consolidating our commitment to low-carbon development."

[The photograph attached to the press release is an architect’s impression of the future solar programme at the Coquelles terminal.]

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About Getlink

Getlink SE (Euronext Paris: GET), through its subsidiary Eurotunnel, is the concession holder until 2086 for the Channel Tunnel infrastructure and operates Truck Shuttles and Passenger Shuttles (cars and coaches) between Folkestone (UK) and Calais (France). Since 31 December 2020 Eurotunnel has been developing the smart border to ensure that the Tunnel remains the fastest, most reliable, easiest and most environmentally friendly way to cross the Channel. Since it opened in 1994, more than 518 million people and more than 106 million vehicles have travelled through the Channel Tunnel. This unique land link, which carries a quarter of trade between the Continent and the United Kingdom, has become a vital link, reinforced by the Eleclink electricity interconnector installed in the Tunnel, which helps to balance energy needs between France and the United Kingdom. Getlink completes its sustainable mobility services with its rail freight subsidiary Europorte. Committed to "low-carbon" services that control their impact on the environment Getlink has made the place of people, nature and territories a central concern. https://www.getlinkgroup.com