France walks the walk: thermal energy production to drop

LONDON, UK -- Although governments across the continent have stated a commitment to reducing the use of fossil fuels, France appears to be one of the few European countries capable of achieving this before the end of the decade, states a new report by energy industry experts GlobalData.

The latest report Thermal Power in France, Market Outlook to 2020, 2012 Update - Capacity, Generation, Regulations, Power Plants, Companies forecasts France’s thermal installed capacity to drop from 27,720 Megawatts (MW) in 2012 to 23,783 MW in 2020, declining at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 1.9%. Meanwhile, other major European nations such as Germany, Italy and the UK are expected to increase thermal installed capacity during this period.

In contrast, the total cumulative installed capacity in France will increase from 130,231 MW in 2012 to 156,639 MW in 2020, thanks largely to an expanding renewable sector.

The French government has shown commitment to increasing its share of electricity generated from renewable sources and promoting energy efficiency. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is factored into all government decisions, including the construction of new environmentally friendly power plants, the provision of incentives to existing ones, and the handling of waste. The government also plans to install five million solar thermal units by 2020, 80% of which will be in homes.

As a result of such initiatives, the total installed capacity for renewable energy sources will climb from a 2012 total of 12,458 MW to 30,887 MW in 2020, exhibiting a CAGR of 12%.

The largest share of the French power market is occupied by the nuclear industry, which at 63,130 MW will account for almost half of the country’s 2012 total installed capacity. Electricity production by nuclear power will increase by the end of the decade, but only marginally, with installed capacity expected to reach 67,530 MW by 2020.
 

To access the full report, please visit the GlobalData website here