France is set to experience its lowest addition of wind-power capacity in two decades, attributed to a backlash against turbines fueled by the anti-immigration National Rally party and the political instability stemming from a hung Parliament.
If the current pace of turbine installations continues through the end of the year, France is projected to add approximately 500 megawatts of capacity—the least amount since 2005, according to Jules Nyssen, president of the Syndicat des Energies Renouvelables, France’s largest renewable energy advocacy group. Nyssen emphasized that this situation reflects a lack of clear direction in national energy policy during a press conference in Paris on Thursday.
William Arkwright, head of the wind committee for the renewables lobby, commented on the difficulties of securing construction permits in regions with strong National Rally support, where local leadership is openly anti-wind. He noted that the pipeline of new projects is diminishing and the commissioning of wind farms is falling sharply.
The recent appointment of French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, following his predecessor’s loss of a confidence vote, has added to the uncertainty, as Lecornu has yet to form a new cabinet or clarify his policies, particularly regarding energy. A draft energy roadmap introduced by the previous administration in March aimed to enhance solar and wind energy as well as renewable fuels over the coming decade to lower carbon emissions; however, these plans remain unenacted.
While solar installations continue to grow due to previous project approvals, a slowdown is anticipated within two years resulting from reduced incentives for photovoltaic installations introduced by the outgoing government, as outlined by Xavier Daval, head of the solar committee at the renewables lobby.
Daval further indicated that some companies within the sector are facing significant challenges, a trend that is likely to persist as the political vacuum continues to impact the industry.
