France approves 720MW of solar as price falls another 5%

August 7, 2018
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
France is looking to deploy 3GW through its auction programme. The 300MW Cestas project was constructed outside the programme with a 20-year PPA in place with EDF.

France has approved 103 large-scale solar projects totalling 720MW in the latest phase of its 3GW deployment plans.

The winning bids averaged €58.2/MWh (US$67.5/MWh) a drop of 5% from the previous bidding round. February 2018’s capacity was awarded at a price of €61.6. The larger projects (5-30MW) averaged €52/MWh. ENGIE was among the big winners in the auction.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

More than a third of the awarded capacity is in the northern part of the country.

“All French regions can benefit from the large-scale development of solar photovoltaics,” said Nicolas Hulot, France’s minister for ecology and sustainable development. “The energy transition is now taking place everywhere, in all territories. This is made possible in particular by the increase in volumes and the bonus on the environmental relevance of the site set up in this call for tenders,” he added.

The next two auctions will be for 850MW each.

The winning projects can be viewed in full here.

3 November 2026
Málaga, Spain
Understanding PV module supply to the European market in 2027. PV ModuleTech Europe 2026 is a two-day conference that tackles these challenges directly, with an agenda that addresses all aspects of module supplier selection; product availability, technology offerings, traceability of supply-chain, factory auditing, module testing and reliability, and company bankability.

Read Next

April 24, 2026
Indian module manufacturer Saatvik Green Energy has acquired an 80% equity stake in Melcon Transformers and Electricals.
April 24, 2026
Scientists at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) have developed coloured films for solar PV modules that can imitate roof tiles or building facades.
Premium
April 24, 2026
Reforms to the UK’s grid connection process for renewable energy projects are underway, aimed at easing the logjam of applications.
April 24, 2026
The European Commission has reportedly banned EU funds from supporting energy projects using Chinese-made inverters.
April 23, 2026
A planned 13GW polysilicon production plant in the Netherlands, powered by renewable energy, has been designated as a strategic project under the EU’s Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA).
April 23, 2026
UAE state-owned renewables developer Masdar has established a joint venture (JV) with the national power utility of Montenegro to develop “large-scale” clean energy projects in the country.

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Webinars
May 27, 2026
9am BST / 10am CEST
Media Partners, Solar Media Events
June 3, 2026
National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai)
Solar Media Events
June 16, 2026
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
November 3, 2026
Málaga, Spain