In 2021, renewable energies accounted for almost 20% of gross final energy consumption in the country, according to the Ministry of Ecological transition. The law requires reaching 33% by the end of the decade.
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Half-hearted news for the environment. The share of renewable energies in French energy consumption increased in 2021, according to data published by the Ministry of Ecological Transition, Monday June 20. Energy sources such as biomass, hydropower or wind power accounted for 19.3% of gross final energy consumption, an increase of 10 points compared to 2005.
This development was notably driven by wind power, heat pumps and biofuels. Between 2019 and 2021, the share of renewable energies even increased by two points, as the economic recovery stimulated demand in sectors such as transport, industry and the tertiary sector. At the same time, gross final energy consumption has decreased, at a rate of approximately 0.5% per year.
However, France will have to reach 33% of renewable energies in 2030 to respect the objectives of the Climate law. With 19% in 2020, the country had been the only one in the European Union not to comply with its target of 23%, resulting from a European directive.
Today solid biomass (mainly wood) remains the leading renewable energy with 7.1% of final energy consumption, followed by hydraulics (3.4%) and heat pumps (2.4%) . Wind energy provides 2.2% of the total, and biofuels 2.1%.