Energy and climate: what changed on January 1, 2023

Also, in order to deal with the climate emergency, the Government has set ambitious objectives: to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and to become the first major industrial country to emerge from its dependence on fossil fuels. This will involve reducing our energy consumption thanks to energy sobriety and efficiency measures, but also by decarbonizing our energy mix thanks to renewable and nuclear energies.

Protect the French against rising energy prices

For individuals :

Gas

The tariff shield on gas will be extended in 2023. From January 1, 2023, the increase in regulated prices for the sale of natural gas will be limited to 15%. As a reminder, this price shield applies to residential consumers (consuming less than 30 MWh/year) as well as all condominiums with an individual natural gas supply contract. It should be noted that the tariff shield on electricity, which will limit the increase in regulated electricity tariffs to 15%, will be put in place from February 1, 2023.

Fuels

The exceptional aid for the purchase of fuel ends on January 1, 2023 (it amounted to 30 cents per liter from September 1 to November 15, 2022, then 10 cents per liter from November 16 to December 31, 2022). It will be replaced by a fuel allowance of 100 euros for modest French people who work and who take their car to go to work. 10 million workers will be eligible for this aid, which will apply to any type of vehicle including two wheels.

For professionals and communities:

Electricity

Faced with rising prices, the Government is supplementing its aid system for businesses and local authorities with the electricity shock absorber. It will take effect from January 1, 2023, until December 31, 2023. The electricity buffer will be intended for all SMEs (less than 250 employees, €50 million in turnover and €43 million in balance sheet) that are not eligible to the tariff shield, as well as all structures similar to SMEs, regardless of their legal status (public establishments, associations, etc.). Beyond these thresholds, the electricity buffer system will benefit structures that do not have competitive activities, regardless of their status. Through the electricity buffer, the State pays 50% of the bill (energy share) above €180/MWh and within the limit of €500/MWh, regardless of their status. For a consumer with an energy share of €350/MWh (0,35 kWh), the electricity buffer will cover approximately 20% of the total electricity bill. The aid will be integrated directly into consumers' electricity bills and the State will compensate suppliers.

Achieve carbon neutrality by 2050

For professionals :

Framework for claims of carbon neutrality in advertising

As of January 1, 2023, it will be prohibited to claim in an advertisement that a product or service is carbon neutral, unless it presents, in an easily accessible way, the balance sheet of greenhouse gas emissions on the the entire life cycle, the planned reduction trajectory of these emissions, as well as the methods of offsetting residual emissions. These elements must be updated each year. Provided for by article 12 of the Climate Resilience law, this system will guarantee complete information for the public on claims of carbon neutrality and will gradually strengthen the practices and commitments of advertisers.

Extension to indirect emissions of the scope of organizations' greenhouse gas emissions reports (BEGES)

The generalization and consolidation of real carbon accounting by organizations (companies, public administrations, communities, etc.) is an important step towards achieving our climate objectives. In France, the system of greenhouse gas emissions assessments (BEGES) provides that organizations regularly carry out an assessment, which must be made public. Currently, only direct emissions and indirect emissions associated with the energy consumed had to be taken into account in the BEGES, which was not always representative of the real impact of organizations on the climate. From January 1, 2023, it will also be mandatory to report all significant indirect emissions. This includes, for example, emissions associated with the use of products sold by a company, or home-work travel by employees.

Be more sober in our energy consumption

For individuals :

Start of the "MonAccompagnateurRénov'" system

Compulsory support for households during energy renovations of private housing will be implemented from 1 January 2023 and will initially concern renovations for which MaPrimeRénov' Sérénité (MPRS) aid will be mobilized.

Evolution of the criteria in the definition of "decent housing"

The Climate & Resilience law called for the introduction of a minimum energy performance criterion in the definition of "decent housing". From January 1, 2023, a dwelling will be qualified as energy decent when its energy consumption (heating, lighting, hot water, ventilation, cooling, etc.), estimated by the DPE and expressed in final energy per square meter of living area and per year, will be less than 450 kWh/m2 in mainland France.

The most energy-intensive dwellings, whose energy consumption exceeds this value, can no longer be offered for rental.

Move better

For individuals :

€100 bonus for first-time drivers as part of the National Daily Carpooling Plan

From January 2023, drivers who start carpooling will receive a bonus of €100, donated by carpooling platforms, in the form of a progressive payment: a first part of the 1st carpooling trip (minimum €25) and the rest to the 10th for the short distance (<80km) or to the 3rd for the long distance (>80km), within 3 months of their first carpool.

Reinforcement of the penalty linked to CO2 emissions from passenger vehicles

From January 1, 2023, a new penalty scale on CO2 emissions from new passenger vehicles. This change was planned from the end of 2020 by article 55 of the finance law for 2021 and will apply from 123 grams of CO2/km, against a triggering threshold of 128 grams of CO2/km in 2022. For this level of pollution, the tax applied is €50. The €1000 threshold will be reached from 146 grams of CO2/km (€1074), instead of 151 grams of CO2/km in 2022. The last installment of the scale will amount to €50 for vehicles with a CO000 greater than 2 grams of CO225/km (instead of €2 in 40 for more than 000 grams of CO2022/km).