France Revises Energy Plan, Balancing Fossil Fuels and Renewables

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--France has revised its 10-year energy plan, removing the previous commitment to halt new fossil fuel-fired power plants. While the plan still aims to phase out coal by 2027, the government now supports converting the country's last two coal-fired plants to burn natural gas instead of shutting them down. This shift, backed by parliamentarians and regional leaders, is intended to balance emission-reduction goals with the need for energy security.

The updated plan also scales back France's solar power ambitions, lowering the 2035 target to 65-90 gigawatts (GW) from the previous 75-100 GW. To achieve this, the government will launch two tenders per year of 1 GW for ground-mounted solar and smaller tenders for rooftop systems. Onshore wind development will continue steadily, with two 900-megawatt tenders annually to maintain around 1.5 GW of new capacity each year.

Despite relaxing some decarbonization goals, France's energy system remains largely low-emission, thanks to its extensive nuclear fleet and growing renewable energy installations. The government argues that maintaining limited fossil fuel capacity is essential to manage demand spikes and ensure grid stability.

The revised plan is now in the final stage of public consultation, with stakeholders carefully weighing the trade-offs between achieving climate targets and securing reliable power supplies. As France navigates its energy future, the evolving strategy reflects the complexities of transitioning to a fully sustainable grid while meeting the country's evolving energy demands.

Industrial Info is tracking more than 2,500 active capital power projects in France. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can learn more by viewing the related project reports.

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