French Support for Renewable Energy

The French people want renewable energy and the government is responding to the popular demand from its citizens. This is the finding in a March 2014 CSA survey which indicated that 65 percent of those polled said that they would invest in renewable energy (wind and solar/photovoltaic) today if they had to personally invest in one energy source. Renewable energy is popular in France with 75 percent choosing solar and 69 percent choosing wind. Only 15 percent chose nuclear, 7 percent chose gas and 1 percent chose coal.

The French government is a strong supporter of renewable energy. France has put forth the ambitious goal of reaching 19 GW of wind energy by 2020. The country currently produces 8.2 GW or 3 percent of the nation’s energy mix from wind power. Levels of solar energy production in France have quadrupled from around 1 MW in 2010 to 4.3 MW in 2013. The poll also found that 80 percent of French citizens want to see investment in renewables even before traditional forms of energy reach the end of their life cycle. In France, the transition to renewable energy is facilitated by the popular support of the French people.

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