Solar power in France

Solar potential

Solar power in France had been growing rapidly with more than 4,000 GWh of generated photovoltaic (PV) electricity every year. In 2013, an additional 613 MW of PV capacity was installed. This is 45 percent less than in the previous year, when 1,115 MW were installed. By the end of 2013, the cumulative photovoltaic capacity reached almost 4.7 GW. This makes France the seventh biggest producer of PV electricity in the world, behind Germany, China, Italy, Japan, the United States and Spain.

However, a declining political support for new installations slowed down PV deployment since the record year of 2011, when 1,700 MW had been installed. In its 2014 report "Global Market Outlook for Photovoltaics", the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) not only blames the French government for a lack of support, but also criticizes it for having "hastily freeze or reduce support mechanisms" for further photovoltaic deployment.[1] The EPIA also asserts, that opposition from the conventional energy sector led to a negative image of PV technology in the public opinion. The French solar association SOLER urged the French government for more support and submitted a five-point plan in Spring 2014.[2]

The largest completed solar park is the 115 MW Toul-Rosières Solar Park.[3]

Of the 242,295 installations completed by the end of 2011, 0.2% were over 250 kW, and made up 38.6% of the total. 89.1% were 3 kW or less, and made up 20.3% of the total.[4]


Insolation

The insolation in France ranges from 3 sun hours/day in the north to 5 sun hours/day in the south. The output of a solar array is a function of age, temperature, tilt, shading, tracking, and insolation.

Source: NREL[5]
Source: NREL[6]
Source: NREL[7]
Source: NREL[8]

Photovoltaic installations

Main articles: Solar power in the European Union and Growth of photovoltaics
Year end Capacity
(MWp) 		Generation
(GWh) 		Ref
2008 104 [9]
2009 289 [9][10]
2010 1,197 677 [10][11]
2011 2,949 2,400 [11][12]
2012 4,060 4,000 [12][1]
2013 4,673 4,600 [1]
2014 5,660 n.a. [13]
Sources: PV-Barometer, IEA-PVPS and EPIA

Cumulative PV capacity in megawatt-peak (MWp) since 2000

1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
2000
2004
2008
2012

List of photovoltaic power stations

Further information: Photovoltaic power station
PV capacity in watt-per-capita by region in 2013
  0 - 1 watt
  1 - 10 watts
  10 - 50 watts
  50 - 100 watts
  100 - 200 watts
  200 - 350 watts
  350 - 500 watts
Solar Parks
NameMWpLocationNotes
Toul-Rosières Solar Park 115 48°46′48″N 005°58′48″E / 48.78000°N 5.98000°E
Gabardan Solar Park 67.2 44°02′42″N 0°01′36″W / 44.04500°N 0.02667°W
Les Mées Solar Park[14] 90 44°00′N 6°00′E / 44.000°N 6.000°E Multiple sections
Crucey Solar Park[15] 60
Massangis Solar Park[16] 56
Châteaudun Solar Park[17] 50 Planned
Curbans Solar Park 33 44°25′N 06°03′E / 44.417°N 6.050°E

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Global Market Outlook for Photovoltaics 2014-2018". www.epia.org. EPIA - European Photovoltaic Industry Association. p. 26. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  2. ↑ Willis, Ben (23 January 2014). "French government faces calls to revive domestic PV sector". http://www.pv-tech.org/''. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  3. ↑ Marguerite Fund Buys Into France’s Largest Solar Park
  4. ↑ National Survey Report of PV Power Applications in France 2011
  5. ↑ "PV Watts". NREL. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  6. ↑ "PV Watts". NREL. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  7. ↑ "PV Watts". NREL. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  8. ↑ "PV Watts". NREL. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 EUROBSER'VER. "Photovoltaic Barometer - installations 2008 and 2009". http://www.energies-renouvelables.org''. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 June 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 EUROBSER'VER. "Photovoltaic Barometer - installations 2009 and 2010". http://www.energies-renouvelables.org''. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 June 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 EUROBSER'VER. "Photovoltaic Barometer - installations 2010 and 2011". http://www.energies-renouvelables.org''. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 June 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 EUROBSER'VER. "Photovoltaic Barometer - installations 2011 and 2012". http://www.energies-renouvelables.org''. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 June 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  13. ↑ "Snapshot of Global PV 1992-2014" (PDF). http://www.iea-pvps.org/index.php?id=32''. International Energy Agency — Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme. 30 March 2015. Archived from the original on 30 March 2015.
  14. ↑ France launches vast solar panel array
  15. ↑ EDF Energies Nouvelles commissions a 60 MWp solar power plant in Crucey - France
  16. ↑ EDF Energies Nouvelles commissions a 56 MWp solar power plant in Massangis - France
  17. ↑ China's Fire Energy to build 50MW solar plant in France

External links