France to turn to energy efficiency, renewables

France is set to cut fossil fuel use and boost renewable energy generation after passing long-awaited energy and climate legislation.

The law sets targets to reduce consumption of fossil fuels 30 per cent by 2030 and get 32 per cent of energy from renewable sources.

Shifting to cleaner sources of power will contribute to the EU’s provisional target of a 40 per cent drop in greenhouse gas emissions, compared to 1990 levels.

Ségolène Royal (right), French environment minister, claimed: “With this law, France is adopting the most advanced legislation in the European Union.”

At the same time, the country will diversify away from nuclear, which currently dominates the power generation mix. By 2025, the government aims to get 50 per cent of power from nuclear, down from 75 per cent today.

The Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 has prompted France to question its heavy reliance on atomic power, which was developed in the 1970s and 1980s.

The government set aside €10bn to fund a total of 64 specific policy measures in the bill, over the next three years. It hopes to create 100,000 jobs in green industries.

The bill lays out scores of measures including an obligation to make buildings and houses more energy efficient during renovations and installing 7m charging stations for electric cars over the next 15 years.

The bill, which still has to go through a long parliamentary process, was the subject of an intense nine-month debate as companies, NGOs, lawmakers and unions each fought their corners.

European leaders are set to finalise a climate policy framework out to 2030 in October, which will commit the EU to slashing carbon emissions.

The European Commission has proposed a 40 per cent cut in carbon emissions, a 27 per cent renewable energy target and a 30 per cent energy efficiency target, following the existing three-pronged approach.