France’s new multi-year energy program sets a target of 48 GW of solar by 2030 and outlines 2.9 GW of tenders through 2028, with the industry saying the framework restores investment visibility and supports massive factory plans.
Following the official announcement of photovoltaic targets in France’s new Multiannual Energy Program (PPE 3), Economy Minister Roland Lescure confirmed at a press conference that specifications for upcoming solar tenders will be published soon.
“We will launch a tender next week with a target volume of 2.9 GW in 2026, in addition to a tender for ‘Large Buildings PV’ of 300 MW, published in the Official Journal of the European Union,” he said. “This represents 3 GW of new capacity. We are committed to maintaining a strong ambition for solar photovoltaics: reaching between 55 and 80 GW by 2035, equivalent to two-thirds of our data center needs.”
The announcement follows a decision published in the Official Journal on February 13, 2026, which limits the allocation of public support for onshore wind and solar energy until December 31, 2028, in accordance with Article 3 of Decision No. 2020-456 of April 21, 2020.
French solar industry association Enerplan said the text sets a target of 2.9 GWp for 2026-2028, maintaining the pace of PPE 2. It amounts to an annual program of 3.6 GWp, including a ceiling of 2.9 GWp for tenders and 0.7 GWp supported by direct financing. Enerplan said the tender cap gives companies visibility to continue developing projects and planning growth.
The decree also requires the government to publish a report on electricity consumption trends, the development of low-carbon generation and progress in flexibility by the end of 2026. A review clause allows for a simplified revision of the PPE by the end of 2027, if necessary.
After five years of consultation and political debate, and almost three years of delays, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu unveiled PPE 3 at an EDF hydroelectric plant in the Jura. The updated plan scales back previous solar ambitions and sets a target of 48 GW of installed capacity by 2030, rising to between 55 GW and 80 GW by 2035.
The trajectory corresponds to RTE’s R3 scenario, which implies an annual deployment of approximately 3.5 GW. That represents a slowdown of about 40% compared to 2025, when France added a record 6 GW of new solar capacity.
“This represents a step back from the original target of 54 GW for solar energy by 2030,” said Daniel Bour, president of Enerplan.
Despite the lower 2030 target, industry representatives generally welcomed the framework. The 48 GW target remains above the previously considered R2 scenario of 42 GW.
“After the challenges of recent months, this is a great relief as visibility is restored for solar companies and our customers,” said Édouard Roblot, solar director at Idex, which develops projects through third-party investments. He noted that stalled CRE procurement periods had prevented some real estate companies from meeting rooftop solar requirements and parking canopies for new buildings.
Dozens of photovoltaic developers have recently mobilized in Paris and Montpellier to call for an ambitious PPE and continued institutional support for solar permitting.
The French Association for Renewable Energy (Syndicat des énergies renouvelables) also welcomed the volumes.
“These volumes provide visibility to developers while supporting the emergence of gigafactories for the production of modules and cells by Carbon and HoloSolis,” said chairman Jules Nyssen. Each factory represents approximately €1 billion in investments and approximately 2,000 jobs.
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