French Energy Law Finally Adopted

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French Energy Law Finally Adopted

The long-delayed energy bill presented by successive environment ministers, and currently championed by Minister Ségolène Royal, was approved in a final vote at the French Assemblée National lower chamber on Wednesday July 22. The timing of the vote is significant, as France is hosting at the Paris Climate Conference (COP 21) in December.

The law delivers one of the cornerstone campaign promises by President Francois Hollande’s, a pledge to cut nuclear power to half of France’s electricity mix in 2025, down from the current 75% share today.

In broad strokes, other main objectives* set out by the law include:

  • To halve overall electricity consumption by 2050
  • To reduce the use of fossil fuels by 30% by 2030
  • To reach one third of global consumption in renewable energy by 2030

France’s environment minister shared the news on social media:

The bill also sets a cap on French nuclear power production at its current level of 63.2 gigawatt, although it postpones the roll out plan of nuclear reactor shut downs.

“This law sets goals, which is interesting, but it doesn’t explain how to reach them,” Greenpeace energy campaigner Yannick Rousselet said to Reuters. Postponement of the detailed implementation plans “is not a good sign”.

[mrb]

Other measures concern transportation, with the development of a larger network of recharging stations, a bonus for the replacement of private diesel vehicle in favour of electric cars, housing, for all buildings to conform to energy efficient standards by 2050, and recycling, with a target of halving waste by 50% by 2025 and a focus on reducing supermarket food waste.

[*All targets are set against 2012 consumption figures]
Source: Assemblée Nationale LCL, Reuters

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Sylvia is a freelance journalist based in France, focusing on business and culture. A valued member of the France Media editorial team, Sylvia is a regular contributor to our publication.

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Comments

  • turquoisetree53
    2015-07-31 15:19:46
    turquoisetree53
    watch out for a new rushed rash of bizarre windfarms in the most unlikely pretty rural areas - a sop to the new rules - and for etrangeres living nearby, no redress.

    REPLY

  • misswoodentop
    2015-07-23 12:27:24
    misswoodentop
    What a totally unrealistic aim - demanding that people ditch their perfectly serviceable diesel cars which for me means 1tank of fuel in my 21-yr old car to get back to family in the UK.(And as a UK state pensioner, there is no way I can afford a new electric car anyway). How many stops to recharge would I have to make? Are there enough recharge points? There aren't any around here - and there certainly won't be in the UK - what is the range of these ugly little shoeboxes? 20miles if you are lucky - hmm 600/20 = 30 yes thirty stops, for how long? Dream on Mme Royale.

    REPLY

    • Keith Lane
      2015-11-25 13:48:26
      Keith Lane
      ditch the dirty diesel cars in favour of either: electric with no range, or, revert to petrol which is cheap, plentiful, cleaner than diesel, and quickly refuelable anywhere.

      REPLY