One of the key measures of the Acceleration of Renewable Energies bill, adopted on 10 January by the French National Assembly, will make compulsory the installation of solar panels on all car parks of over 1,500 square metres.
The legislation focuses on offshore wind power and photovoltaics. Solar panels will soon be found along motorways, near agricultural crops, but also on car parks.
This provision should boost the development of solar energy production in France, especially in large commercial areas.
✅ Accélération de la production d'énergies renouvelables | L'Assemblée nationale a adopté le projet de loi, en première lecture.
— Assemblée nationale (@AssembleeNat) January 10, 2023
Nombre de suffrages exprimés : 524
Majorité absolue : 263
Pour : 286
Contre : 238
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Reducing pollution, energy costs
The choice of solar energy not only reduces the carbon footprint, but also saves money.
Solar panels are estimated to reduce the electricity bill by 7 percent.
"Finally, the payback is divided by three. So it's no longer 9.5 years, but three years", explains Vincent Mégret, the president of SKF in France, to franceinfo.
Although the majority of photovoltaic panel are manufacturered in Asia, the new bill should boost French companies.
The new bill also aims to reduce installation times and make up for France's delay in adopting renewable energy. Green sources account for only 19.3 percent of gross final energy consumption, still less than many European neighbours.
