New energy minister Roland Lescure devotes his first trip to the topic of solar farms

Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire dedicated his first trip dedicated to energy to visit the nuclear power plant in Gravelines (North). For its minister delegate in charge of industry and now energy, Roland Lescure, it is the photovoltaic park. This Monday afternoon, he went to Marcosis Solar Farm (Ason) operated by Eng. An opportunity to highlight the importance of the second pillar on which France seeks to rebuild its energy independence: renewable energy.

The installation ticks all the boxes for the perfect project: a solar farm, built on SNCF wasteland, wedged between an industrial site and TGV rails, all under high voltage power lines. Twenty hectares of the site is not enough to satisfy the hunger of the 200 sheep responsible for harvesting. Sheep… and a wetland preserved to protect a rare area from the dragonflies that live there. The 58,000 solar panels on the twenty-hectare site generate enough electricity to power a town of 10,000 inhabitants like Markousis. Finally, if 60% of the site is owned by Engie, 20% by SIGEIF (Intercommunal Union for Gas and Electricity in Ile-de-France) and 20% by individuals living near the site. “A great example of integrating renewable projects in the field”Angie wishes General Director Catherine McGregor the best of luck.

Panorama would not have been completed had it not been for the mere four years required to build the site, a record pace. Operating since 2021, the site has just reached an important milestone: it is “erased” All the carbon emitted to create it. Henceforth, completely green electricity is produced.

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A law on energy sovereignty before the end of the year

Roland Lescure took advantage of his first trip as a representative of the Minister of Energy and emphasized that France is counting on launching two solar panel factories by 2025, in order to overcome the deficit of industrialization in the sector photovoltaics where our country is seriously behind. “We have two new Gigafactory projects in development, in Surregumins and Foss-sur-Mer. Ultimately, these two factories will produce 15 gigawatts (GW) of solar panels. said the minister. Two planned factories, if they get the green light for the planned investments, “It will make it possible to not only meet the needs of France but to export solar panels made in France”He guessed.

The visit to the solar farm was highly symbolic, while the renewable sector is concerned about the disappearance of any reference to production volume – in absolute value or percentage – in the bill for energy sovereignty unveiled by Bourne in early January. The government has failed to provide reassurance. The Renewable Energy Union (SER) announced “His immense disappointment” After a general policy speech in late January, Gabriel et al. “The directions vigorously defended from the podium of the National Assembly reflect a hackneyed vision of the energy system that maintains the double belief that France’s energy future is solely electric and that nuclear power alone will be able to respond to the very strong growth in our decarbonization needs.” SER was condemned.

Rarely appointed to energy, Roland Lasker is giving the sector a new cold sweat. “There will be a law, legislative provisions that will be passed in the legislature because I want it to be a public debate.”, assured the Minister of Industry and Energy on France 3 on Sunday. The text, which has been pending for more than eighteen months now and has taken various forms, may once again change its name, the reference information site reports. Even the calendar remains very vague. Roland Lescure promises the law presented “during this year” But “Not necessarily in first semester”, According to “Make time for discussion”.

There is general consensus on the place of renewables in the energy mix. But in what form and for what part? Wind energy remains a subject of tension, solar panels are imported from China, biomass requires significant inputs of waste… But the advantage of all these means of production is their speed of deployment, while it is not necessary to expect new nuclear reactors before that. 2035, at best – excluding Flamenville 3. The latest EPR should be connected to the network this year.