On Monday, the Council of Ministers received this text, which should make it possible for France to make up for the time it has lost in the field of renewable energies.
Wind, solar, hydraulic, wind power generated offshore… The government intends to put the package forward in response to the crisis in the energy sector. This coming Monday, just a few days after the inauguration of the first wind farm at sea, which took place off the coast of Saint-Nazaire, the executive will present its bill to the Council of Ministers, which will be “on the acceleration of the production of renewable energies” (ENR).
The purpose of this document is to streamline the administrative processes involved in the creation of these ENRs so that they can be completed more quickly. In an interview with Telegram this past weekend, the Minister in charge of the Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, explained that the proposed legislation will move consultations to an earlier stage in the process for all projects. This is done to avoid having to deal with a large number of appeals after work has already begun. The President of the Republic has set some lofty goals, including doubling the “generating power of onshore wind turbines” and increasing the amount of solar energy produced by ten times what it is today, as well as increasing the number of offshore wind farms to fifty from just one. All of this while paying attention to people who are opposed to the projects that are being discussed.
As was disclosed by Le Figaro in August, the proposed legislation includes restrictive provisions that would take effect “forty-eight months” (or four years) after the text is officially published. Among the provisions, the projects of renewable energy production facilities are defined as answering “to a major public interest,” which is sufficient to significantly accelerate the projects: “by clarifying in the law that these renewable energies do indeed have this imperative reason of major public interest, we give them legal certainty, without removing the necessary demonstration that everything has been done to see the environmental issues of the facilities, we note at the Ministry that this will significantly accelerate the projects: “by clarifying in the law that these renewable energies do indeed have this imperative reason Another modification, the part “grid connection” projects need to be planned in advance, rather than waiting for the project to be finished before beginning the planning process. According to Agnès Pannier-Runacher, the length of time it takes to win can range from “one to several years.”
Regarding photovoltaics, the text aims to “use already artificialized land, such as car parks, edges of highways, or wasteland,” according to one member of the minister's entourage. This will allow for the multiplication of additional panels. Only parking lots are required to have them installed on their shade structures. However, highway companies are “looking for investments” that are interesting, and as a result, they should install new panels on the edges of the infrastructures, on land that is “extremely cheap” and is currently unused. It is specified that there is not yet an obligation for individuals to install panels on their roofs, and it is added that “work is in progress […] on new buildings, in terms of greening or photovoltaic requirements on roofs.”
Residents living in close proximity to renewable energy projects are eligible for financial benefits.
Residents who live close to renewable energy facilities and the municipalities that are affected by the bill will benefit from a “territorial sharing of value,” which will allow them to reduce the amount they pay for their monthly electricity bill. The bill also provides for the discussion of offshore wind projects to be consolidated. The cabinet of Agnès Pannier-Runacher argues that this project's objective is to “make renewable energies more desirable in the eyes of our fellow citizens.” This will be accomplished by ensuring that residents who live in close proximity to the facilities will be able to “earn dividends on their bills.” At a regulatory or parliamentary level, the details, including the maximum distance up to which this device will apply, the amount, and the installations that are concerned, will be specified.
For instance, the Ministry has established a maximum distance of five kilometers from a wind turbine, which is equivalent to a walk of one hour, and makes the installation an “everyday object.” Additionally, the Ministry has established a cost of the order of twenty euros per megawatt per year, which “translates to a reduction of approximately one hundred euros per year, or 10 or 15 percent of the bill for a household heated with electricity.”
A textual guide for executives focusing on strategy
The text is widely regarded as particularly strategic, given that France will face a limited supply of electricity for a number of years to come. Midway through the month of September, the manager of the RTE network made the observation that the current tensions could be explained in particular by “the closure of many coal and fuel oil production facilities combined with the delay in commissioning renewables and the Flamanville EPR and the sharp reduction in production from the existing nuclear fleet.” According to RTE's projections, the difficulties will continue until 2024 at the earliest.
Parallel to the development of nuclear power, there is still a long way to go to catch up with France in terms of renewable energy. In 2009, the member states of the European Union set ambitious binding targets for the development of renewable energies. There is still a long way to go to catch up with France in terms of renewable energy (EnR). The goal is to achieve a level of total energy consumption within the Community that derives 20% of its power from renewable sources by the year 2020. If the overall goal for the European Union was 20%, then each member state had its own objective, which could be more or less ambitious depending on its starting point, its GDP, and its policy. If the overall goal for the European Union was 20%, then each member state had its own objective. The target percentages for Belgium were 13%, 30%, 40%, and 49% for Sweden respectively. France, for its part, committed to achieving a rate of 23 percent. According to information provided by the European Commission, France is the only nation in the world to have not accomplished its objective more than ten years after it set the target.
According to the ministry, the bill will start its journey through the parliamentary process in the Senate at the end of October. Already, constructive conversations are taking place between members of the executive branch and elected officials. On the other hand, it will have to contend with opposition to projects that aim to extend the use of renewable energy, whether on a local or national scale. Environmental groups are also concerned about the rapid development of projects and the proliferation of sites, which is to the detriment of the native flora and fauna, as well as appeals and studies, all of which require time. Through the process of reviewing its copy, the government believes that it has addressed the concerns raised by the organizations at this point.
At the same time, he will be responsible for carrying out the enormous nuclear project, which is designed to make it feasible to replace the existing power stations, which are getting on in years, and to ensure that France will have an adequate supply of electricity for the next few decades. A vast program.
