The French authorities have selected 16 projects with a total capacity of 58 MW in the third round of rooftop PV tenders, at an average final price of €104/MWh, which is up 15% from the September 2022 tender. The CRE, the French energy regulator, has also selected seven ground-mounted projects, with a total capacity of 115 MW, at an average price of €82.2/MWh, up 20% from the last tender.

The latest round of tenders was undersubscribed, with many bidders failing to comply with the financial security requirement, leading to a significant increase in final prices. French consulting firm Finergreen analyzed the results and found that many bidders misinterpreted the financial security requirement, making their bids null. This echoes the results of the latest tenders for onshore wind and ground-mounted photovoltaics, where many developers also faced the same fate with their applications.

The French government has announced plans to hold 1.5 GW of tender for ground-mounted PV and another tender for 800 MW of rooftop capacity to compensate for the high failure rate of the latest tenders. The new tenders aim to encourage more participation in the renewable energy sector and ensure the country achieves its renewable energy targets. The French government has set a target of 40 GW of solar energy production capacity by 2030, which is part of the country's efforts to achieve its goal of having 100% renewable energy by 2050.

The selected developers for the latest tenders include Q Energy, Neoen, and Kronos Solar. Neoen is a leading renewable energy company that operates solar, wind, and storage projects in France and internationally. Q Energy is a solar energy company that focuses on the development, construction, and operation of large-scale solar projects in France and Europe. Kronos Solar is a German company that specializes in the development, financing, construction, and operation of solar power plants.

Source: pv-magazine.com