France has very strong objectives in the PV field as it sets installed power at 20.1 GW by 2023, while the medium-term target is to have between 35 and 44 GW by 2028.
The target is ambitious if you consider that in September 2021, according to the industry association Solar Power Europe, the cumulative power was 12.33 GW.
According to the studies of this association, in 2020 over 2 GW of new systems were connected to the grid, and in the third quarter of 2021 another 621 MW came into operation, especially on medium/large rooftop plants.
Annual growth targets of at least 3/4 GW
To achieve these objectives, the French market is destined to grow further, as according to the EU-Market-Outlook-for-Solar-Power-2021-2025 at least 3/4 GW per year will be needed.
Given this, the French PV sector needs further legislative tools from its government.
Upgraded Tenders Market
A first step has already been taken recently, after much insistence by the Syndicat des Énergies Renouvelables (SER), as the lower limit from which it is necessary to enter the tender mechanism, even for roof systems, has gone from 100 to 500 kW.
Now up to 0.5 MW the plants can enjoy the feed-in tariff (FiT).
Currently the tenders are scheduled to admit 3.2 GW of new plants per year, where on average 2/3 are ground mounted and 1/3 on the roof, but to meet the set objectives, are necessary low soil consumption plants such as floating or agrivoltaic systems.
Simplification of the bureaucratic and procedural system
According to Solar Power Europe in its EU-Market-Outlook-for-Solar-Power-2021-2025 also other regulatory changes will have to be implemented in order to streamline bureaucratic and procedural practices as well as simplify them and ensure that there is no overlap of skills between the various entities involved.
Subsidies and incentives to develop the residential market
The subsidy instruments of small self-consumption residential systems will also have to be reviewed, as this sector is currently underdeveloped, so as to increase its contribution to reach the milestone of at least 35 GW in 2028.
One of the pillars of the French legislation on PV is that of the carbon footprint linked to CO2 emissions, the new standard set for the tenders is that of 550 kg CO2 e/kW, also valid for rooftop installations.
This system, according to Solar Power Europe, will develop technological innovations in the French industry thus making a further contribution to the reduction of total emissions since the target is usually revised downwards.
