Dispatch from France | February '26
*** Our weekly Dispatches provide an overview of the most relevant recent and upcoming developments for the shift to climate neutrality in selected European countries, from policy and diplomacy to society and industry. For a bird's-eye view of the country's climate-friendly transition, read the respective 'Guide to'. ***
06 Feb 2026, 10:30
Camille Lafrance
Stories to watch in the weeks ahead
- The wait for the PPE is weakening sectors - The future of the Multi-Year Energy Programme (PPE) - France's strategic energy guidelines for 2035 - remains a recurring theme. Professionals in the renewable energy sector have been forced to wait for government clarification since 2024, and they are starting to sound the alarm. Prime minister Sébastien Lecornu last year promised clarification by Christmas 2025, but then set a new deadline of "late January, early February", without guarantees. Despite record levels of renewable energy production, the lack of clarity has led to the suspension of numerous projects, putting jobs at risk. Several unions in the sector, including the National Renewable Energy Union, are concerned, as are business leaders, with some of them denouncing the delay as a 'quasi-moratorium' for the renewable energy sector.
- Parliamentary mission to electrify industy - Economy minister Roland Lescure has entrusted MP Raphaël Schellenberger (independent, formerly a member of conservative party The Republicans - LR) with a six-month mission beginning in January 2026. The objective is to identify and remove barriers to the electrification of industry, which will take place in two stages: First, an in-depth diagnosis of existing obstacles will be conducted. Secondly, legislative or regulatory proposals aimed at accelerating the electrical transition of the industrial fabric will be formulated.
- Renewable energy value sharing - Almost two-thirds of France's total energy use is still covered by fossil fuel imports, costing the country more than 60 billion euros each year, the French branch of NGO WWF revealed in a report published in January. The report calls for a faster expansion of renewable energy by finally implementing an accelerating mechanism provided for in a law (APER) which was adopted three years ago. The government, by withholding the final legal step - publication of the related 'territorial value sharing fund' decree - is still blocking the law’s implementation. Environmental group WWF is calling for the decree to be published without delay, as the mechanism introduced the principle of one-time taxation for shared land value to the benefit of local authorities. The law should enable the redistribution of profits from projects with minimal impact on public finances, financing equipment or collective projects.
The latest from France – last month in recap
- Resurgence of nuclear power - Nuclear power remains the primary source of electricity in France. During the winter months, the country's nuclear power production increased to heat homes, surpassing the 56 gigawatt-threshold on 31 December - its highest level since 2019. Out of France’s 57 nuclear reactors, 49 are currently operational and connected to the grid following maintenance shutdowns and technical issues in recent years. Despite a turbulent geopolitical context, the country continues to rank second among the world's civil nuclear power users and is securing its position with uranium imports, purchasing some 7,000 tonnes each year.
- Electricity exports: new record broken - Although national electricity consumption remained relatively stable in 2025, France produced more electricity than it consumed. This marked the second consecutive year in which it broke its own net electricity export record. The French net export balance was 92.3 terawatt hours (TWh), which is more than the annual consumption of Belgium. The previous record, set in 2024, was 89 TWh.
- Making decarbonisation projects a reality: a national priority - On 9 December, electricity transmission system operator RTE updated its scenarios for electricity production and consumption trends through to 2035. It highlighted the delay in decarbonising energy use since 2023, as well as the need to convert fossil fuel consumption to electricity consumption, even with very modest trajectories. According to RTE, the next challenges include the implementation of electrification projects and the further development of renewable energies. The document emphasised that France's decarbonisation strategy, which aims to shift from fossil fuels to electricity, is “synonymous with numerous climate and economic benefits”. This would enable the country to reduce its reliance on imported hydrocarbons for final energy consumption by almost 50 percent within ten years.
Camille’s picks – highlights from upcoming events and top reads
- How to get on the road to energy independence? - What tactics can households adopt for resisting continuous energy price increases? A fascinating documentary series on France 5 television explores the solutions being trialed in France and the experiences of those involved. It delves particularly into so-called 'autonomous' homes and joint electricity purchasing schemes.
- Seawater is the new gas - This is not a mere pipe dream: In Cannes, on the Mediterranean coast in the south of France, condominiums and even large hotels will soon be heated using seawater. An ingenious system called “thalassothermie” will recover the energy from the seawater before returning it to the sea. This promises savings in CO₂ emissions and on bills.
- Is the wait for the PPE a joke or sabotage? - Contexte, a media outlet with a focus on France's energy sector, has launched a video channel with free access. The French-language channel claims that the Multi-Year Energy Programme (PPE) is regarded as a 'joke' within the National Assembly. According to AEF, another agency specialising in the analysis of information on energy policy, the blocked PPE is seen as the product of an 'anti-renewables and pro-nuclear front'. Composed of an informal network of associations and think tanks, this bloc has existed since 2020 with the aim of influencing the country's energy policy, AEF concluded.
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