On Tuesday, the French National Assembly rejected a proposal to stop expanding renewable energy sources. The corresponding bill was rejected by a vote of 377 to 142, with 47 members abstaining. Surprisingly, on Thursday, the National Assembly passed a moratorium on the construction of new solar and wind farms as part of an amendment to the energy bill with the support of Les Républicains (LR) and the right-wing populists of Rassemblement National (RN). The moratorium was to remain in force »until an objective, independent study determines the best energy mix for France.
The French solar association Enerplan views the bill’s rejection as »the result of an unprecedented mobilization to put an end to the nonsense in the energy sector and the moratorium on solar and wind energy.« Thanks to media attention, the bill’s rejection made clear how much support solar and wind energy have in France. According to Enerplan, associations of local elected officials, regional presidents, industrialists, civil society representatives, farmers’ representatives, construction sector representatives, environmental and biodiversity NGOs, and the energy sector as a whole unanimously condemned the attempt to halt the development of renewable energies in France. »This very clear message, which came from the field, must now be heard by the senators and the government.« The bill will now go back to the Senate.
© PHOTON
