'Death of sector'? French wind and solar ban risks 80,000 jobs and Engie billions
Industry feverish ahead of final vote in lower house of parliament on amendment of energy bill that was approved in surprise move last week and would have dramatic consequences, renewables group and utility warn
A possible French moratorium on new wind and solar projects would put 80,000 jobs in danger, risk a country ratings downgrade and could endanger billions of euros in investments by energy giant Engie, renewables groups and the utility said.
France’s National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, in a surprise vote late Thursday had included an amendment to a draft bill on energy and climate policy that would ban the permitting and commissioning of new wind and solar installations until an independent study determined the best energy mix for the country, French media reported.
“But the amendment would deprive France of a cheap, home-grown and low-carbon energy source when 60% of its energy mix is still dependent on fossil fuels. Wind energy represents 30,000 jobs in France today. The amendment would put these jobs at serious risk.”
French industry group France Renouvelables (Renewables France) even said 80,000 jobs are at risk – once massive solar sector redundancies are added – and warned the measure, if finally approved, would not only cement France’s dependency on fossil fuels, but also lead the country down the path to being placed under supervision and downgraded.
"Our energy program is too serious a subject for moratoriums to be decided in an empty chamber, on the basis of objectively false arguments,” said Anne Catherine De Tourtier, president of France Renouvelables.
“France Renouvelables invites the national representation to return to reason, to support ‘true’ energy independence based on energy sources in our territories and not on massive imports. We call for a wake-up call and not let some decide for everyone!"
'Can't handle stop and go'
The vote Thursday was held when most lawmakers were absent, leading to a rare situation in which the far-right National Rally of Marine Le Pen and the arch-conservative Republicans were able to push through a 65 to 62 vote in their favour to approve the amendment.
Catherine MacGregor, CEO of French energy giant Engie, warned that if the moratorium goes ahead, it would put €5bn ($5.8bn) in wind and solar spending at risk her company had planned for the next ten years.
“We can’t handle stop and go” in an industry that requires long-term planning.”
Not all is lost yet, as a final vote in the National Assembly is scheduled for today at 3pm.
As many lawmakers from President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Renaissance party and leftist opposition parties didn’t attend Thursday’s vote, the wind industry is lobbying members of parliament to show up and reverse the amendment.
The amendment next to the wind and solar moratorium would also include France leaving the EU’s energy market, the construction of 14 new nuclear power stations by 2030, and the immediate re-opening of the accident-prone Fessenheim nuclear power stations near the German border that was switched off in 2020.
The French upper house, the Senate, will also have to vote on the energy bill.
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