Tax and levy exemptions for solar self-consumption in France

03/06/2017 | Print view

With a new law France also supports collective solar self-consumption solutions as at Wittelsheim Groupement Agricole d’Exploitation Collective (GAEC) dairy farm. - © Web-agri/Terre-net Média — © Web-agri/Terre-net Média

With a new law France also supports collective solar self-consumption solutions as at Wittelsheim Groupement Agricole d’Exploitation Collective (GAEC) dairy farm.

The French Parliament has passed a law on the self-consumption of self-generated electricity from renewable energies. Small plants are exempt from levies and local electricity taxes. Distribution network operators can accept up to 40 percent of the network connection costs.

The law adopted by the French parliament in mid-February, in particular provides exemptions from tax. Own users with a plant with a capacity of less than 1,000 kilowatts don’t have to contribute to the levy for the promotion of renewable energies and are also excepted from local electricity consumption tax.

Lower grid charges for small installations

It also provides for the French Energy Regulatory Authority to introduce special grid charges for small self-service installations. Here too, the rated limit is 1,000 kilowatts. This is intended to take account of cost reductions in grid usage, which result from self-consumption.

Discharge of grid connection costs

In addition, the new law stipulates that the distribution system operator can take over 40 percent of the grid connection costs for plants. This service is financed by the network charges. The law is intended to facilitate the development of solutions for self-consumption in France and to enable collective self-consumption solutions.

With these regulations, the traditionally very centrally organized France takes an important step towards a stronger decentralized use of solar power and other renewable energies. (PF/HCN)

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