Renewable energies: a new law to accelerate solar and wind power

Ambitious goals

France, which has long relied on the power of its nuclear fleet, generated a quarter of its electricity in 2021 with renewables, a lower share than elsewhere in Europe. But to the climate emergency, the war in Ukraine is now adding the threat of a "blackout", making it necessary for the government to change scale.

For 2050, President Emmanuel Macron has set himself the objectives of multiplying by ten the production capacity of solar energy to exceed 100 GW and to deploy 50 wind farms at sea to reach 40 GW.

Emergency or permanent measures

It takes on average in France 5 years of procedures to build a solar farm, 7 years for a wind farm and 10 years for an offshore wind farm.

The text provides for temporary adaptations of administrative procedures to simplify and speed up the implementation of projects, the objective being to significantly shorten deployment times.

The senators rewrote this section in committee by creating new temporary derogations and by proposing permanent changes to the environmental assessment, public participation and administrative litigation regimes, to speed up the implementation of projects.

Planning and "right of veto"

The rapporteur for the text in the Senate, Didier Mandelli (LR), introduced a new component, establishing "a territorial planning device" for the deployment of renewable energies, "starting from the territories".

It would first be the mayors who would be "in the maneuver" to define areas conducive to the establishment.

Above all, he also planned "a double trigger system" which "gives elected officials the power to say 'yes' or 'no' to any renewable energy project".

More space for solar

The bill facilitates the installation of photovoltaic panels near highways and major roads. It makes it possible to derogate from the Coastal law, in a very constrained framework, for the installation of panels on wasteland. It also facilitates setting up in mountain communities.

The bill imposed the progressive equipment of outdoor car parks of more than 2.500 m2 with photovoltaic shade structures and vegetation. The senators reviewed the government's copy, substituting the concept of parking spaces for that of area. Outdoor car parks with more than 80 spaces will have to be equipped either with solar shades or with another method of producing renewable energy.

The senators have injected provisions in favor of the "reasoned" development of agrivoltaism, combining agricultural exploitation and electricity production.

The wind takes to the sea

The bill proposed to pool public debates on the location of projects "to improve spatial planning" and accelerate their development.

The senators rewrote the device to "institute specific spatial and temporal planning". It provides for the production of a map of the areas intended to accommodate installations on a national scale, with broad consultation involving all the stakeholders as well as the public on the four seafronts.

Above all, the text adopted in committee plans to give priority to settlement areas located at a minimum distance of 40 km from the shore.

Discounts

The bill establishes a system of "territorial sharing of the value of renewable energies" in order to facilitate their acceptability.

While the text of the government provided that the municipalities concerned, but also the individuals residing there, can benefit from a discount on their electricity bill, the senators refocused the device on the only communities.

The rebates would concern the municipalities where they are located but also the municipalities from which these facilities are visible. The system would apply to all renewable energy installations.