Renewable Energy Growth in France Slows Down Amid Legislative Challenges

France's renewable energy growth slows as deputies reject a key climate law.

Key Points

  • • Renewable energy accounted for 23.0% of total consumption in 2024, up from 22.3% in 2023.
  • • Growth rate for renewables slowed significantly to 0.6 points in 2024 from 1.8 in 2023.
  • • French deputies rejected a proposed energy law that included a moratorium on renewable energy development.
  • • France targets 33% renewable energy by 2030, amidst changing European directives.

Recent statistics reveal that renewable energy in France accounted for 23.0% of the country's gross final energy consumption in 2024, reflecting a modest increase from 22.3% in 2023. This gain, however, marks a significant slowdown, as the previous year saw a rise of 1.8 percentage points. Key factors contributing to this deceleration include unfavorable weather conditions that impacted the production rates of wind and solar energy, which grew at 8.3% in 2024 compared to 11.2% in 2023, according to preliminary data released by the Service des données et études statistiques (SDES). Moreover, overall energy consumption in France has seen a slight uptick of 0.7% in 2024, reversing a previous downward trend.

The context surrounding these figures is more concerning due to recent political developments. On June 28, 2025, the French National Assembly rejected a significant proposed law aimed at national energy and climate programming for the years 2025 to 2035. The proposal, which faced a decisive defeat by 377 votes to 142, included controversial provisions such as a moratorium on new wind and solar projects, alongside a renewed emphasis on nuclear energy.

Looking ahead, France has set an ambitious target to derive 33% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030. This target may be subject to revision during upcoming discussions on multiannual energy planning. On the European scale, the target for renewable energy by 2030 has been elevated to 42.5% under the recent RED III directive, thus pressuring member states, including France, to align their goals accordingly. Notably, while France has achieved its binding EU target of 23.0%, it previously fell short in 2020, highlighting the ongoing challenges within the renewable energy sector.