From pv magazine France
France’s Ministry for Ecological Transition has published the results of the fourth round of its technology-neutral renewables tender, selecting 36 projects with a combined capacity of 507.7 MW against a target of 500 MW.
Photovoltaics accounted for all awarded capacity, marking the first time no wind projects were selected under the scheme. Agrivoltaic projects featured more prominently, underscoring rising developer interest in this asset class within competitive tenders.
Photosol emerged as the largest winner, securing 129.2 MW across multiple projects, including the biggest single award of the round, a 44 MW solar plant in the Loir-et-Cher department.
Pricing data show continued downward pressure. The weighted average award price reached €0.07413 ($0.087)/kWh, down €0.00647/kWh from the previous round. Earlier auction prices stood at €0.07689/kWh in the first round and €0.08519/kWh in the second, reflecting a rise through December 2023 followed by a subsequent decline.
Geographic distribution remained uneven. Central departments dominated the awards, with Cher hosting the highest number of projects. Southern and south-central departments typically secured two to three projects each, while northern and northeastern France saw limited representation.
The French Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission de régulation de l’énergie, CRE) reiterated its recommendation to pilot a single, unweighted reference market price under the upcoming PPE2 technology-neutral tender. The proposal aims to level competition across technologies, limit budget exposure, reduce risks linked to renewable power cannibalization, and incentivize the pairing of generation assets with storage.
The CRE also renewed earlier calls to revise the 250 MW per-round cap on agricultural projects under Case 2 bis, suggesting the limit be raised or removed given their comparatively lower average costs. The next tender round will again target 500 MW, with dates yet to be confirmed.
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