EDF buys 29% stake in French microgrid specialist Ecosun
Alsace start-up Ecosun is developing innovative microgrid solutions to provide electricity in isolated areas.
French government considers cutting pre-2011 FITs
Financial newspaper Les Echos claims the government is mulling a renegotiation of historic feed-in contracts after the Court of Auditors in 2018 ruled the incentives too generous.
Solar is essential to build the France of 2030
KilowattSol CEO Xavier Daval has criticized the absence of references to solar in the French government’s post-Covid recovery plan, which has allocated €30 billion to the energy transition. The head of the PV technical advisory says solar must become more central to France’s strategic choices and China must not be allowed to retain its near-monopoly on PV panel manufacturing.
France devotes €30 billion to energy transition
The French government will use around €9 billion of its new €30 billion global investment package to support the development of a hydrogen economy, as part of the country’s Covid-19 recovery plan.
France installed 379 MW of PV in H1
France’s cumulative PV capacity reached 10.3 GW at the end of June. Solar generated 6.7 TWh of electricity in the first half of 2020, compared to 5.9 TWh during the same period in 2019, representing 3.0% of French electricity consumption.
French start-up plans 16 GWh battery factory
Verkor intends to set up a battery fab, with production to start in 2023. The scale could reach 50 GWh, depending on the dynamism of the stationary storage and electric vehicle markets.
Mersen launches fuses and switchgears for 800 V AC solar systems
The French manufacturer has expanded its range with products designed for PV systems with 1500 V DC/800 V AC inverters. The new offer features NH fuses and horizontal and vertical fuse switch-disconnectors.
France’s EnerGaïa, Italy’s Key Energy to be held in fall, Australia’s All-Energy 2020 canceled
France’s EnerGaïa Forum will be held Dec. 9-10 in Montpellier, while Italy’s Key Energy event will be held in Rimini from Nov. 3-6. Australia’s top PV industry event will not take place in 2020.
Hydrogen storage in salt caverns in France
Hydrogène de France and gas grid company Teréga plan to launch a feasibility study for a 1.5 GWh pilot hydrogen storage project in caverns in the southwest of the country.
Consolidation in the French solar module industry
Two module manufacturers, Systovi and Voltec Solar, plan to join forces to create a bigger player in the French solar manufacturing space.
