French Revolution – Nuclear Nation Wants a New Image

During last year, wind power in France has grown significantly, but 2017 there is little left of this movement. New figures published by France Energie Eolienne (FEE) show a significant decrease of 13% in the first half of the year compared to the first half of 2016. In France, only 492.35 megawatts have been installed, delivering green electricity for 385,000 households.

One reason for this is the presidential election campaign, that held France firmly under control over the past months. As long as it wasn't clear who was to become the new head of state and what energy policy the country would pursue in the future, no one wanted to invest heavily. Olivier Perot, President of the FEE, said: "These uncertainties have led the wind industry to act cautiously and wait until a stable and coherent framework has been created."

It is now clear that the new president is Emmanuel Macron, while his environmental minister is Nicolas Houlot, who had already made a name for himself as an environmentalist for many years. Now the latter has to create the balancing act between the current reality of France as a nuclear nation and a future as a modern state in the heart of Europe that relies on renewable energies. This isn't easy, because the highly indebted state group EDF currently still operates 58 nuclear power plants in the country.

These should be shut down as soon as possible, according to the new government. Already in the election campaign, Macron emphasized that France must back away from nuclear power, now it is up to him to invest first strongly into the energy transition. Currently, the share of nuclear power is still 75 per cent, by 2025 it should drop to 50 per cent. And for 2032, the country has set even more ambitious targets with a share of only 32 per cent.

This is how it might soon look on French roads. (Image: Katrin Radtke)

At the same time, renewables are to be expanded. By 2023, the government hopes to reach 26 gigawatts of wind energy. To achieve this, offshore wind industry must be developed. In several auctions during the last few years, the French have already awarded projects, but nothing has been finished yet.

FEE expressed its full support to the French Minister of the Environment, Houlot, who recently announced that by 2025 at least 17 nuclear power plants would be shut down. However, the association also criticized the many political hurdles that slow the expansion of wind power. Complicated transport permits, a faster processing of complaints from opponents, or the expansion of measures to encourage sector cluster and the promotion of electromobility are among the things needed.

There is no climate plan B, stressed FEE. In this respect it is necessary to increase the speed. France must finally take a leading role in the fight against climate change and implement the energy transition, also with a view to the elimination of the Americans from the climate agreement.