New French law: Install rooftop solar in all large car parks!

    The EU rooftop solar market is evolving and developing. As part of the REPowerEU initiative, the European Commission proposed an EU solar roof initiative earlier this year.

    Since then, the solar roof initiative has continued to grow. Just last month, a coalition of 18 organisations urged EU member states to set solar requirements for all new buildings, refurbished buildings and existing non-domestic buildings. Mandatory installation order! Eu Solar Roof Initiative upgrade!

    Currently, seven EU countries have mandatory solar installation rules for refurbished buildings and nine have mandatory solar installation rules for new buildings, according to SolarPower Europe. Against this backdrop, more and more EU member states are joining the queue.

    The French Senate has approved new legislation mandating the installation of solar power in outdoor car parks, giving a boost to renewable energy in the country.

    French Senator Jean-Pierre Corbisez said large outdoor car parks with more than 80 parking Spaces would be legally required to use solar photovoltaics, adding between 6.7 and 11 gigawatts of solar power over the next few years and nearly doubling France's installed solar capacity. As of 2021, France has 13.2GW of solar capacity.

    Under the new rules, car parks with at least 80 Spaces and up to 400 Spaces will have five years to comply with the new rules from July 1, 2023, while larger carparks will need to implement the changes within three years.

    Certain exceptions may apply if technical, safety, architectural, historical or environmental constraints prevent solar roof installation.

    Other measures passed by the law include raising the requirement for non-domestic roofs to be covered with solar photovoltaic (PV), up from 30% previously.

    Several recommendations around agricultural photovoltaics have also been adopted, including the removal of asbestos from agricultural roofs in favour of solar photovoltaics, which will be implemented as a pilot measure over the next three years.

    The French Renewable Energy Trade Association (SER) welcomed several provisions proposed by the Senate that would accelerate the development of renewable energy in France.