“There are choices that commit the nation over the long term. The choices concerning energy are among those.” Emmanuel Macron made a series of announcements, Thursday, February 10 in Belfort (Territoire-de-Belfort), concerning France’s energy policy. Emphasizing the still high share – almost two thirds of final energy consumption in France – of fossil fuels, which emit a lot of greenhouse gases that cause climate change, in our consumption, the President wanted to initiate several construction sites. This follows in particular the publication of the report of the Electric Transmission Network published in October on possible energy futures, which was “greeted” by the president. Here is what to remember from Emmanuel Macron’s speech.
Sobriety without “deprivation”
Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed, during his speech, the objective – mentioned in the National Low Carbon Strategy – of reducing the energy consumption of the French by 40% by 2050. This involves renovating housing so that they “consume less heating”the renewal of the vehicle fleet “so that it consumes less fossil fuel” and the decarbonization of industry thanks in particular to hydrogen, which he had already put forward in his France 2030 plan. He stressed, however, that this goal would not be achieved, according to him, “by practicing deprivation, energy austerity”, corn “innovation”.
The “massive” development of renewable energies
Emmanuel Macron also announced that he wanted to develop “massively” renewable energies. He cited several levers for action. Solar first, by multiplying “the installed capacity by nearly 10 by 2050 [afin de] exceed 100 gigawatts”. Next, offshore wind. Emmanuel Macron announced the construction of a “fifty parks” to aim “40 gigawatts in service in 2050”. He added that maritime professionals would be involved in their implementation, “especially fishermen”. The president then wants “double” the power of onshore wind turbines installed in France by 2050, while ensuring their integration into the landscape. “We will take care not to concentrate the installations in the same territories”, he assured in particular. To speed up this work, Emmanuel Macron added that he wanted “remove all regulatory barriers from the moment the projects are accepted locally”.
He also mentioned investments in hydroelectric dams – without specifying the amount – and thermal renewable energies – with a desired share of the “10% renewable gas in 2030”. Finally, he announced that one billion euros, from the envelope of 30 billion previously announced in the France 2030 plan, would be devoted to innovation in renewable energies.
New reactors to “relaunch” the nuclear industry
To ensure the maintenance of the nuclear sector in France, Emmanuel Macron declared that EDF and the Nuclear Safety Authority should “study the conditions for extending beyond 50 years” reactors. And for “anticipate the end of the existing fleet, which cannot be extended indefinitely”he then announced his desire for EDF to build – with the financial support of the State of “several tens of billions of euros” – six second-generation EPRs and is studying the construction of eight other reactors of the same type by 2050. However, he did not specify where these reactors will be built, nor their cost. “A broad consultation of the public” on the subject will be carried out at the end of 2022 as well as parliamentary discussions in 2023. Emmanuel Macron hopes that the construction site will begin in 2028 for the commissioning of the first reactor in 2035.
>>France 2030: what industrial future for SMRs, these “small” nuclear reactors praised by Emmanuel Macron?
The Head of State then spoke of small reactors, already mentioned during his announcements on France 2030. “A call for projects will be supported to the tune of one billion euros by France 2030 and will be launched [dans les prochains jours] to bring out small modular reactors, the famous SMRs, but also innovative reactors”he said, adding that the goal would be “to build a first prototype in France by 2030”. Stated goal: the possible commissioning of 25 gigawatts of additional nuclear capacity by the middle of the century. To support this relaunch of the sector, Emmanuel Macron highlighted the creation of an interministerial program department dedicated to the subject.