PVTIME – The National Assembly of France has approved Amendment 486, proposed by Republican MP Jérôme Nury, which imposes an immediate moratorium on new wind and solar developments. The pause will remain in place until an independent review of France’s energy architecture assesses the optimal economic and environmental energy mix.
This could result in new renewables being excluded from the 2025–2035 National Energy and Climate Plan (PPE3), with the Senate due to vote on 24 June. The final draft of the PPE3 cuts the 2035 solar target to 65–90GW (down from 75–100GW), a move backed by pro-nuclear factions who warn that tripling renewables would cost France €300 billion by 2040. The plan also greenlights the restarting of the Fessenheim nuclear plant and the construction of 14 new reactors by 2050.
The French renewable energy sector has condemned the bill as ‘irresponsible and anti-scientific’. Jules Nyssen, the president of the SER, warned that it threatens ‘tens of thousands of jobs’ and would undo a decade of energy progress. ‘This humiliates France’s energy security and international credibility,’ he said, urging lawmakers to reject the proposal.
Adding to the pressure on the sector, in February the government proposed retroactively slashing feed-in tariffs for residential solar systems with an output of less than 500kW.
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