after the legislative elections, “we could fall a long way behind” on wind power, warns the Renewable Energies Union

He recalls that offshore wind power “is more effective than anything else” to “guarantee controlled energy prices”.

After the legislative elections, “we could fall a long way behind our European neighbors” on wind power, alerted Thursday June 27 on franceinfo Jules Nyssen, president of the Renewable Energies Union (SER), three days before the first round.

Jules Nyssen is worried “Above all” on the delay that France may fall “in relation to major challenges in terms of decarbonization, in terms of energy sovereignty”. “Less carbon-free energy, less renewables, means more fossil fuels.” The president of the SER mentions offshore wind power in particular, emphasizing that this represents “8 300 jobs, 1 000 more than last year. A sector that creates 1 000 jobs per year, I think that’s not negligible at all.” According to Jules Nyssen, the offshore wind sector “produces electricity cheaper today than the market price. It brings money to the State”. “Offshore wind power is more effective than anything else in guaranteeing the French people controlled and reduced energy prices over time.”

Faced with criticism of wind turbines for their impact on landscapes, Jules Nyssen believes that “any infrastructure project is not necessarily well received at the start, especially if we do not identify what its social utility is.” He deplores “much denigration of the role and necessity of these energy production facilities.” But the president of the SER recalls that “in what we consume in energy, we import 60% of this energy in the form of fossil energy”.

According to him, “if we repatriate this 60% of energy production to the territory, we secure our energy bills, we guarantee our independence. You realize the wealth that this represents”. He assures that “60% of the energy bill produced on the national territory, while it is imported today, these are jobs, this is wealth”. And he believes that these facilities can be “installed in a manner that is acceptable.”

On solar energy, Jules Nyssen admits that in France “we are not competitive” compared to Chinese panels which are worth “much cheaper than a panel produced in Europe. This is normal, there are practically no more industries in Europe”. To deal with this situation, the president of the SER pleads for developing “massively solar energy”. That “creates a market” And “leaves space for industrial solar panel projects made in Europe”. He emphasizes that there is “two gigafactory projects in France and at least one producer who manufactures solar panels, called Voltec Solar, in Alsace”.

“Let’s go ahead, do solar, let’s have ambition for this energy resource. It creates a market,” adds Jules Nyssen. He specifies that “the European Union has just adopted a regulation which allows the establishment of local preference criteria in calls for tenders”. This will allow “to create a market so that gigafactories and existing companies can develop. And like that, we will build our sovereignty, including on solar panels.”