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France launches call for innovative solar, renewable energy projects

04/04/2014

France has launched a “call for expressions of interest” for innovative solar photovoltaic (PV), solar thermal, wind and renewable cooling projects.

France has launched a “call for expressions of interest” for innovative solar photovoltaic (PV), solar thermal, wind and renewable cooling projects. The call includes hybrid solutions, including hybrids of renewable and conventional technologies and those which incorporate energy storage.

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French President François Hollande has announced plans to cooperate with Germany and other nations to advance European PV manufacturing

The minimum cost of projects must be at least EUR 3 million (USD 4 million), except for solar thermal and hybrid building projects, which must be at least EUR 1.5 million (USD 2 million). The call is open through October 2nd, 2015.

Submissions will be considered in three tranches, with the first closing on September 3rd, 2014 and the second closing on March 3rd, 2015.

“Renewable energy is a major issue for France in terms of competitiveness (cost of energy and energy independence), employment (production, installation and maintenance) and environmental concerns (reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, air quality, etc.),” states the nation's Ministry of Energy, Ecology and Sustainable Development.
 
Recent focus on investment in renewables by Hollande

The call is part of the Future Investment Program led by the French Agency for Environment and Energy Management (ADEME). ADEME has invested EUR 1.125 billion (USD 1.5 billion) in demonstrations and technology projects for renewable and low-carbon energy since 2010.

The administration of French President François Hollande has shown an interest in renewable energy in recent months. French research organization INES (Paris) is currently cooperating with Fraunhofer ISE (Freiburg, Germany) and Swiss researchers on the concept for a “gigawatt-scale” PV manufacturing facility to incorporate European technological innovation.