France to face headwinds in reaching 2020 renewable energy targets - report

Jan 9, 2014 - Renewable energies will have to represent 23% of the total energy consumption in France by 2020, according to targets set by the European Union (EU), but the country is likely to face big challenges, according to the French renewable energy association Syndicat des Energies Renouvelables (SER), quoted by daily Les Echos.

If France fails to reach the target, it risks to be fined by the EU.

At the end of 2013, the share of renewable energy stood at some 14% in France, but the figure is deceiving because well-performing sectors, such as biofuels, conceal the poor results of other types of energy, SER said.

Under a steady policy, the share of renewable energies is seen at 17% of the total consumption by 2020, according to SER. Offshore wind power or the sector of wood-fuelled boilers are believed to struggle to achieve their targets, while solar energy's installed capacity will be able to meet the objectives.

On the basis of the EU target, France has fixed the amount of installed capacity needed to meet that target for each renewable energy source. In terms of electricity, the objective was set at 19,000 MW for onshore wind power, of 6,000 MW for offshore wind power and of 5,400 MW for solar energy, for a total 62,167 MW.

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