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

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

June 25, 2026
NLC India and OREDA have signed a joint venture agreement to develop 1,000MW of renewable energy capacity in Odisha.
June 25, 2026
The annual ITRPV report was published this week, offering a snapshot of the latest technological trends shaping the industry.
June 25, 2026
Pathfinder Clean Energy (PACE) has secured a €100 million investment to support its deployment of a solar and BESS portfolio in the UK.
June 25, 2026
Galileo is advancing a 630MW renewables pipeline in France, with permitting applications for 11 projects due in the coming months.
June 24, 2026
Comstock Metals in collaboration with JobsOhio and OhioSE will establish an industrial-scale solar panel recycling plant in Cambridge, Ohio.
June 24, 2026
Europe will not be able to produce a “disruption” in the solar manufacturing industry, according to Peter Fath, CEO of RCT Solutions.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
November 3, 2026
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
November 24, 2026
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
April 20, 2027
Istanbul, Türkiye