Renewable energy in France

The Court of Auditors published a report Thursday on the political development of renewable energy in France. The text points out that if the country is ahead of its European neighbors, the aid must be better targeted for real socio-economic benefits.

On track, but could do better. Here's how briefly summarize the report PUBLISHED Thursday by the Court of Auditors on public policies to support renewable energy (ENR).

Renewable energy sources are those that produce natural energy generating little or no waste or pollution. According to the Observatory of Renewable Energies, are five in number:

Solar energy
Wind energy provided by the wind,
Hydropower provided by waterfalls or tides,
Biomass, in conjunction with plant growth
Geothermal, which uses the natural heat of the earth.
In its report, the Court stresses that public policies to support renewable energy cost of € 14.3 billion between 2005 and 2011. A very high cost, but that it has made so far, "the socio-economic benefits expected."

Conclusion: the aid must be better targeted to have a positive impact on employment and the economy in France. The court suggested that financial support be given priority to the most efficient compared to their cost, their share in energy production facilities and their ability to create jobs.

Unequal aid according to the ENR

The Court found that the expertise of the state and controls on the use of aid, notably tax, are insufficient. It proposes to "reserve tenders for the most backward sectors in achieving their goals of capacity and facilities that do not have a purchase price determined by order to avoid the effects of windfall. "

Two energy sources are particularly targeted:

Photovoltaic solar energy (with solar panels), which received bids in 2013, while this sector is ahead of the target of 5,400 megawatts (MW) installed in 2020.
In contrast, the onshore wind energy, "about to be competitive" but lags far behind with only 7,500 MW installed 19,000 MW against targets for 2020.
The France ahead of its European neighbors

Another lesson of this report: a global perspective, the financial situation of France in supporting REC is sometimes better than its neighbors. The share of renewable energies in overall energy consumption and 13.1%, higher than the European average.

"The French strategy, which has sometimes been described as too limited especially compared to German and Spanish enthusiasm, it still saving for the moment the funding challenges these countries are facing."

However, the text notes that France has set an ambitious target compared to other countries of the European Union in 2020, REC is supposed to represent 23% of the gross final consumption of all energy (against 10.3% 2005). A goal that will be difficult to achieve without additional means: the effort required will be much greater between 2012 and 2020 between 2005 and 2011.

Without a collective and without prior awareness of necessary force, "it is vain to hope that renewables are prominent in the French energy mix," said the Court of Auditors.