Vinci’s SunMind backs Greek solar operator to power Aegean Motorway

• SunMind buys a stake in New Good Energy to supply the Aegean Motorway with long-term solar power via a PPA, cutting emissions and stabilising operating costs.

Keeping a major highway lit, ventilated and safe isn’t cheap—especially when power prices swing. That’s the problem Vinci is tackling in Greece. SunMind, the renewables arm of the French construction and concessions group, has bought a stake in solar park operator New Good Energy SA to lock in clean electricity for the Aegean Motorway.

The deal is anchored by a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA). In practice, that means a predictable supply of renewable power—rather than buying on the spot market—to run the 230-kilometre section of the A1 between the Maliakos Gulf and Kleidi. It covers the everyday but critical loads of modern road operations: lighting, tunnel systems, tolling equipment and service areas.

New Good Energy operates nine photovoltaic parks totalling 9 MWp, producing roughly 14 GWh a year. The sites are spread across the Attica and Fthiotida regions. Several assets are co-owned with partners involved directly in the motorway segment, which keeps incentives aligned when decisions are needed on maintenance or upgrades.

For SunMind, this isn’t a one-off. The company develops, finances and operates wind, solar and storage projects to serve infrastructure within Vinci’s portfolio and beyond. Last year it switched on a PV carport at Toulon Hyères Airport in southeastern France—another example of plugging renewables directly into energy-hungry transport hubs.

Why it matters: long-dated PPAs give concession operators budget certainty and a clear decarbonisation path. Even a relatively modest, distributed portfolio like 9 MWp can cover mission-critical loads when paired with a fit-for-purpose contract. Looking ahead, the structure leaves room for add-ons such as battery storage to smooth peaks, or additional capacity if demand grows.

Greece has leaned increasingly on solar in recent years, and infrastructure operators are following suit. This tie-up shows how a motorway can move from passive power buyer to an active participant in the energy transition—buying directly from dedicated assets, cutting emissions and insulating itself from price shocks. It’s a pragmatic model others in Europe’s transport sector are likely to copy.