Trade body urges France to triple solar capacity by 2025 via ‘emergency plan’

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
France had around 13.2GW of solar installed as of 2021. Image: Photosol.

France should take “radical and immediate measures” to transform its energy system and rapidly accelerate solar deployment, the country’s PV trade association has said.

Given the vulnerability of Europe’s energy system and insecurity of supply, Enerplan has called for France to triple its installed solar fleet by 2025, when the technology should account for around 10% of the country’s electricity production.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Publishing a “solar emergency plan” today, the industry body has recommended that auction volumes be increased and solar project permitting procedures be shortened so that France’s annual PV deployment can reach 10GW within three years.

If the plan is implemented, the country’s total installed solar capacity would reach 37GW in 2025, three years earlier than its PPE energy plan and more than triple the 13.2GW installed as of 2021.

The country added around 2.5GW of solar last year, according to SolarPower Europe, which said in a recent report that PV project developers in the country face tight regulation, challenging grid connection processes and long administrative procedures.

In the current situation, France’s delay in the development of solar is costly, said Enerplan president Daniel Bour, adding that that target of installing 10GW per year is possible “provided that solar power becomes a national priority”.

Enerplan forecasts that if 10GW is added in 2025, around 6.5GW would be from projects with a capacity of more than 500kW, 2GW would be smaller than 500kW and 1.5GW from self-consumption systems.

The proposals come after President Emmanuel Macron announced last month that France will aim to have 100GW of solar by 2050 as part of a new energy strategy that will also see the country build at least six new nuclear reactors.

Under Enerplan’s strategy out to 2050, solar would account for at least 25% of France’s electricity production.

The news follows a string of announcements in recent weeks related to reducing Europe’s reliance on Russian gas through speeding up solar and wind deployment.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Commission is aiming to simplify permitting and accelerate renewables “at lightning speed”, while Germany is bringing forward plans for renewables to account for all the country’s electricity needs by 2035.

In Italy, which imports around 40% of its gas from Russia, the president of industry trade association Italia Solare, Paolo Rocco Viscontini, has called for “an immediate change of pace” to authorise PV plants in the country.

Read Next

June 6, 2025
France has registered zero or negative energy prices for 90% of days in May 2025, according to data from energy storage developer Storio Energy.
June 4, 2025
The passage of the 'One Big, Beautiful Bill' could put 330,000 clean energy jobs at risk, and threaten 331 factories with cancellation.
June 3, 2025
GameChange Solar has announced plans to double the capacity of its Saudi Arabia tracker component manufacturing facility to 6GW.
May 30, 2025
Companies delayed or cancelled US$14 billion in investments in clean energy projects in the US in the first four months of this year.
Premium
May 20, 2025
PV Talk: At this year’s Intersolar event SEIA's Abigail Ross Hopper said a 'universal effort' would be needed for the energy transition
May 13, 2025
The average value of a solar PPA signed in Europe in the first quarter of 2025 was just 1.3% higher than in the previous quarter, according to LevelTen.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
June 17, 2025
Napa, USA
Upcoming Webinars
June 30, 2025
10am PST / 6pm BST
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece