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In a reversal of previous policy, Macron announces a nuclear power renaissance in France, with plans for 14 new reactors by 2050.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/ ... ays-macron


However, he also announced a huge new solar PV programme, targeting 100GWp of new solar by 2050 - 5GWp a year

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2022/02/14/ ... -for-2050/


Guess they'll need a lot more pumped storage in France with that lot. And probably lots more HVDCs!

Probably not a lot of work required for that - they've already got a lot of normal hydro, so converting it for pumped is a relatively simple task.

I would think that they are gearing up to be Europe's power station and export excess power to the rest of Europe and further afield if the interconnectors are there, add in the likely mass public withdrawal from gas related energy products and the numbers of reactors and output coupled to the solar seems make a lot of sense.

Just got to see how France manifestly breaks EU regulations regards state aid to EDF.

Moxi

Might be worth Pinging that to MP's now Moxi,

God forbid an mp be on top of things unless it's boris the bastard maker creating another of those singe mothers he rails against whilst adding to the numbers!

Mr Gus,

Neither of us is so naïve as to think that the rules apply to France. They will be backed by other key countries as they will promise some of the new capacity will supply those supporting countries through decades ahead.

Rules are only ever brought into action when it benefits the rule makers as a way to enforce their will against others they seek to control manipulate or otherwise coerce to a particular behaviour.

It’s a shrewd move on Frances part at a time when energy security is low in neighbouring countries and geopolitical tensions are high.

The only potential fly in the ointment would appear to be EDF’s ability to actually deliver one of their EPR’s on time or on budget. If they get it right then they will increase their influence within the EU significantly. If they get it wrong they may bankrupt EDF and Framatome and seriously damage their EU reputation. If they get it very wrong then we could all be looking at another damaged or destroyed reactor accident in a few decades time.

Only time will tell if this gambit was prudent or folly.

Moxi

Regardless, if you don't ask them to watch they likely will be less clued up when it is too late anyway.

May as well have one in the bag, ready to use, regardless of who is in control over here.
Highlights the absurdity / pompous nature of the fools if nowt else.

Hi Mr Gus,

AS you know i have been in France 20 years now, and these last few years have seen many bits of French legislation come into force.

In general terms it seems the new planning laws here supersede anything about saving the planet.

The French folk have really woken up about their ever increasing electric bills and the enormous charges for having an EDF installation and taxes even before you start. And now you have multiple energy suppliers acting as middle men and they want their management fees. So the general population are very unhappy about electric prices.

SHHH don't tell anyone, and I am very very much not involved, the last 2 years French folk are installing their own small GTI systems up to 3kw and as the EDF charge you for back feeding they are keeping very quiet on their virtual battery system. It is possible to get approval for a GTI system but a registered and approved company has to be used.

I am now asked all the time here about solar, wind and solar trackers, and they want to know how to connect to the EDF. I tell them i do not, but they do not believe me.

Last summer some nearby EDF concrete electric pylons were replaced. The lines man knocked on my door sheepishly asking if he could pull the main breaker/fuse out and put a seal on it as they were working on the lines. This made me laugh, "But" he said, "You have all this PV so your connected to the EDF grid, but not on our records, but me and my mate need to be careful." He pulled the plug on the meter, and all the lights the washing machine carried on working. The look on his face was most interesting. I explained that we only use the EDF connection as a back up generator as a good 15kva generator, we have 9 separate buildings here, servicing, installation and fuel and running costs were more expensive than using the EDF grid night tariff, which is still a good price, just. Next year wee will see.

A few French families i know have come away from a main EDF connection and gone the whole Off Grid route. But true real information here is very bad with most so called commercial companies in RE actually don't have a ruddy clue, and some of the commercial Install estimates i have seen are utterly ridiculous hinting towards Fraud.

So suddenly there is me being well supported by good RE folk, pottering around our region here trying to sort folk out, as friends helping friends basis, not quite offering their daughters but you get the gist!. Now that is a turn up for the books. Nowadays i do a lot of double sided A4 laminated handouts in French. This way the rest of that family can understand about the Off Grid systems.

Now it seems there is a new bit of planning entered the system regards PV arrays and all should be limited to a height of no more than 1.8m. Above this you need formal planning permission. Although everything you do with RE stuff now needs a declaration of work form.

So lots more Civil servants required.
So how long does Government policy get through to become positive legislation? is the old how long piece of string.?

Just my two penny's worth from rural France.

Thanks CM

...I remember those days in France, nearly impossible to get a decent priced PV on the roof , think it had to be an in-roof system at the time ...
Beside the positive evolution of PV over the last 40 years after receiving my first Texas Instruments calculator in school ,with Photovoltaic cells driving that maschine .... to where we are now with PV ( and good so the calculators staid like that design )

....Its also a bid frustrating how much "officials " conservative politicians and lobbyist s , did and try to begrudge the success of PV , because it seems to be a way , for individuals to get more independent ....

their own small GTI systems up to 3kw and as the EDF charge you for back feeding they are keeping very quiet on their virtual battery system

, oh thats even worse, than some time ago in Spain , when they charged you for your own consumed and paid for PV power in your house. Sure there must be more examples to make it tricky , to get out of the sling of el. bills ....

In relation to Macron"s from the second article

He also pointed to the multiplication of regulatory hurdles.

“The approval process to build a solar park takes five years and its construction only takes a few months of work, such delays are unbearable. It will therefore be necessary to remove all the regulatory barriers from the moment the projects are accepted locally,” he said.

Hope ,he does concentrate on all those empty roofs first and there are a lot of shopping centres and builders supply roofs in France , empty .
He should hurry up ..... , i assume 10 -15 GW PV per year, should be no technical issue to built in a country like France
And right he is, that PV is fast to be built about 10-20 times faster for the same Output of power than the dying fleet of average aged 38 years of nuclear power stations of France

Hi Billi,

Did write a note or to to you but its gine from here.

Anyways here is a map from the French Satelite Cadastre system. So as you can see this is for French folk, but as you can imagine it does mean that the officialdom here can watch every move you make.

Stick to the rules, but as you know the French ordinary person is very good at going around the rules and regulations.

The cadastre officials paid us a visit to see why we had new buildings going up but being one we keeps the official documents of our 'Declaration of Works' approval, i was ready for them they do not argue about old photos showing old buildings etc.

They measured the pool to see if was what we submitted for, and yes slightly less. After all that our Tax Habitation went up by 20e per year.

Link to their satellite spy system..... https://www.geoportail.gouv.fr/donnees/ ... adastrales




You can see everything on the public site, what can they see with the unofficial stuff.

That's the best perspective of your kit i've seen, (I think) clockman.

Are you known in the region yet as "le partisan de l'énergie solaire" !?