Renewable energies on rise in France but far off 2030 targets
Renewable energies accounted for almost 20 percent of gross final energy consumption last year in France, according to the Ministry of ecological transition. But that's way below climate legislation which requires 33 percent be reached by the end of the decade.
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The share of renewable energies in French energy consumption increased in 2021, according to data published by the Ministry of ecological transition last week.
Energy sources such as biomass, hydraulic and wind power accounted for 19.3 percent of gross final energy consumption – an increase of 10 points compared to 2005.
The improvement was driven in particular by wind power, heat pumps and biofuels.
Between 2019 and 2021, the share of renewables went up by two points, as the economic recovery boosted demand in the transport, industry and tertiary sectors.
At the same time, gross final energy consumption decreased, at a rate of about 0.5 percent per year.
Meeting climate law objectives
France will have to reach 33 percent of renewable energies by 2030 to meet the objectives of the climate law passed in July 2021.
With 19 percent in 2020, the country was the only EU member not to comply with the European directive laying down the target of 'at least 32 percent’.
Today, solid biomass (mainly wood) remains the leading renewable energy source with 7.1 percent of final energy consumption, followed by hydraulic (3.4 percent) and heat pumps (2.4 percent).
Wind power provides 2.2 percent of the total, and biofuels 2.1 percent.
In early June, electricity from offshore wind turbines off the coast of Saint-Nazaire in western France was generated for the first time in the country.
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