France’s energy supply was still dominated by fossil fuels and nuclear energy in 2023, the latter of which France is the most strenuous supporter and largest producer in Europe. Renewables still accounted for the smallest share of the
that year, compared to some 48 percent coming from oil, gas, and coal and almost 35 percent from nuclear fuel. The
, making France’s energy sector vulnerable to market price fluctuations.
One of France’s ambitions for the next few years is a shift from an energy sector dependent on the international fossil fuel market to one that relies on domestic production of green electricity.
Energy consumption and production in France
The transportation and residential sectors account for the largest energy consumption in France. Most of the
energy used by transportation in the country came from petroleum products in 2023. Renewable energy and biofuels contributed around seven percent to transportation energy consumption, while less than two percent of the sector was electrified. By comparison, the
residential sector relied on electricity and non-electric renewable sources at over 60 percent, although natural gas still powered over a quarter of residential heating and cooking.
In comparison to energy consumption,
France’s production of primary energy evolved over the past 20 years, which saw the share of fossil fuels decrease by over 85 percent and that of renewables double.
Energy transition in France
The deadline for carbon neutrality is set to 2050 for European Union countries. France’s path to decarbonization has the following main points: a boost in energy efficiency and sobriety, the expansion of the country’s renewable energy sector, and the growth of nuclear power. The 2023 update of France’s National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) aims to reduce
domestic energy consumption by 2030, focusing on the growth of the renewable energy sector. According to a forecast modeled on France’s energy transition targets, primary and final energy consumption are projected to decrease by approximately 170 and 290 terawatt-hours by 2030, respectively. In turn, the share of fossil fuels in the country’s primary energy mix is expected to decline below 30 percent.
Renewable energy would cover over 40 percent of the final energy consumption in 2030. Solar and wind energy will account for the largest
renewable power capacity by 2035, with solar power production capacity experiencing a four-fold increase between 2022 and the end of the forecast period.
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