The government passes in force on the retroactive revision of the solar contracts

At the request of the Government, the majority has just voted for the retroactive revision of solar tariffs in the finance bill. Aware of the threat that this measure poses to the energy transition, parliamentarians from all sides have heard the industry and mobilized to try to mitigate its most destructive effects, without being heard.

For two months, solar energy players mobilized to explain the consequences of this measure to the Government, deputies and senators. These discussions demonstrated that the project to revise photovoltaic contracts, carried out without an impact study or prior consultation, had serious consequences for the French renewable energy sector:

Risk of bankruptcy for several hundred farmers engaged in photovoltaics (around half of the 850 contracts targeted),
Insolvency risk for the vast majority of power plants that are in debt, directly threatening the viability of the producers who operate them, mainly independent players rooted in the territories,
Worsening of financing conditions for renewable energies, weakening the achievement of the objectives of the Multi-Year Energy Programming (PPE),
France's loss of attractiveness in the eyes of investors, particularly foreign investors, committed to the deployment of renewable energies,
No financial gain, and potentially loss, for government finances.

Listening to the field and the territories, many elected officials have mobilized to alert the Government to these risks. Thus, on November 27, the Senate unanimously voted to delete the article concerned - the senators having rightly judged that this measure constituted a serious questioning of the word of the State. During the second reading examination in the National Assembly this week, many deputies from all sides mobilized in turn, tabling sub-amendments to mitigate the deadly consequences. All these elected officials considered that this measure was inappropriate, dangerous and contrary to the will of the French to see solar continue its development. Only the government has inexplicably ignored the well-founded arguments of the entire profession and parliamentarians.

Solidarité Renouvelables announces that it will continue its mobilization by continuing to make the voice of renewable professionals heard during the drafting phase of the implementing decree, while studying all possible legal remedies.

The vote which was held on December 16 in the Assembly is only one stage, and there is still time for the Government to abandon this harmful and anachronistic project. At a time when President Emmanuel Macron announces a referendum to include the defense of the climate in the Constitution, the moment could not be more badly chosen to scuttle the French renewable sector.

You can find the collective's manifesto and the list of the 300 signatories on http://solidariterenouvelables.org/