The provisions for a fixed feed-in tariff (FIT) for all PV systems up to 500 kW in size have finally been published in France’s Official Journal – after an agonizing two year wait. pv magazine France provides the low down on tariffs, caps, carbon criteria, and integration.

PV project developers can secure France’s feed-in tariff without participating in tenders.

French specialist Sun’Agri installed a pilot facility on five hectares in southern France in 2018. Its goal is to protect the vines from weather hazards and to improve the quality of the wine by lowering its alcohol content. The first harvest took place in mid-September.

Built by the developers TSE and Enerparc, the facility has a capacity of 152 MW and is located in Marville, in northeastern France.

A 29 MW solar carport is being built by Engie at the factory of car manufacturer Stellantis in Sochaux. The plant is scheduled to begin commercial operation in October 2022.

The French solar market is currently being driven by the utility-scale segment. In the first quarter of the year, newly deployed PV systems totaled 713 MW and in the second quarter their combined capacity reached 654 MW.

The Climate and Resilience Law was officially promulgated and published in the official journal on August 24. For solar, several measures could have a direct impact on the development of projects in the years to come.

The 1 GW Horizeo project includes a solar plant, battery storage, a green hydrogen production unit, a data center, and an agrivoltaic facility. It is being planned near Saucats, a municipality in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France.

On August 5, the French energy regulator published the bidding rules for a new series of solar and renewable energy tenders. The application deadline is between October and December 2021.

South Korea-based solar module manufacturer Hanwha Q Cells has agreed to acquire French renewable energy developer RES Méditerranée (RES France) from U.K.-based company RES for €730 million.