Municipalities are “slowly accelerating” the deployment of renewable energies

Established as the driving force behind the deployment of renewable energies throughout France since the "acceleration" law of 2023, a third of municipalities have now mapped the land where they want to see solar panels and other wind turbines installed, often without much means or great enthusiasm.

Far behind other European Union countries in the deployment of renewable energies, France is banking on "decarbonized" nuclear energy to combat global warming, but also intends to accelerate renewable energy.

From a centralized energy system, almost invisible to the general public, the aim is to cover the territory with energy production installations.

To make this forced catch-up acceptable, mayors have been tasked with defining "acceleration zones" where they would like to see solar panels, wind farms or methane digesters installed as a priority. An obligation that is, however, not accompanied by any deadline.

"In the past, some industrialists arrived as cowboys, with ready-made projects and explaining that they were going to save the planet," recalled Caroline Renaudat, from Engie, at the congress of small towns in France.

This hussar method has caused a lot of tension in the countryside.

"Today, we have changed strategy, we are showing our colours and we are holding a pre-consultation with the public," explains Didier Soulage, head of renewable energies at Cerema, a public establishment which supports municipalities.

Since the adoption of the acceleration law in February 2023, some 10.000 municipalities out of 34.935 have played the game, or nearly a third, opting mainly for solar photovoltaic, thermal or geothermal energy.

"A truly remarkable score for such technical work," says Didier Soulage, for whom the enthusiasm is also due to the hope of financial benefits.

"Every time a renewable energy production project appears, it means fewer barrels of oil," insists Michel Gioria of France Renouvelables. However, he criticizes "the absence of an updated multi-year energy program," which notably sets a national production target by type of energy.

"Soviet Administration"

On the ground, mayors sometimes have trouble finding their way. "It's still complicated and it's a bit like Soviet administration," says Frédéric Léveillé, mayor of Argentan.

In L'Etang-la-ville (Yvelines), the first magistrate Daniel Cornalba kept it simple: two thirds of the commune located in the forest zone were "removed from the scope of the acceleration", the remaining third integrated.

"We considered that any inhabitant in an urban area could produce renewable energy," observes the elected official, who is banking on photovoltaic solar roofs and geothermal energy.

On the side of rural elected officials, whose municipalities represent 88% of the country's surface area, the reactions are more wary.

"The risk is that the rural world will be invaded by renewable energy production units without any financial return," fears Jacky Favret, mayor of Blondefontaine (Haute-Saône), who is participating in the congress of the Association of Rural Mayors (AMRF) organized until Saturday in Côte-d'Or.

"This is a responsibility that we should not have had," says Christine de Neuville, mayor of Vicq-sur-Breuilh (Haute-Vienne), who says she has "no expertise in the matter." "When I am asked to choose between several agrivoltaic projects, I wave the white flag because I don't know," the elected official emphasizes.

His colleague from Ain, Benjamin Raquin, mayor of Grand-Corent, passed on his turn. "Our energy potential is wind power, but wind power is scary. Defining it as an acceleration zone is setting the population on fire," he fears.

"Residents are not ready for wind power, which has a very strong impact on the landscape, and they also have the impression of not knowing where this energy is going, or who it enriches," confirms Fanny Lacroix, mayor of Châtel-en-Trièves (Isère), 500 inhabitants. According to this elected official, who has seen "no change" since she defined her acceleration zones, acceptability first requires being able to consume the energy produced on site.

Auréline Doreau, a member of the Cler network, welcomes a "good idea" but points out "a very clear lack of political will on the deployment of renewable energies". "Implementation decrees have not been published. If it remains a drawing on a map, it risks being useless", she believes.