The European Awakening: Directives and Obligations

European Union renewable energy directives forced French reconsideration. The 2001 directive requiring 21% renewable electricity by 2010 seemed impossibly ambitious for nuclear-dependent France. Initial compliance strategies were minimal—counting existing large hydro, purchasing certificates from other countries. But the 2009 directive, mandating 23% renewable energy (not just electricity) by 2020, required serious action.

The Grenelle Environment Forum of 2007 marked a turning point. This unprecedented consultation brought together government, business, unions, and environmental groups. The resulting consensus—that France needed renewable energy for resilience, innovation, and international leadership—shifted political dynamics. President Sarkozy, hardly an environmentalist, embraced renewables as industrial policy.

Implementation proved challenging. France's centralized energy system, optimized for nuclear, struggled with distributed generation. Grid operators worried about stability. EDF, dominant in nuclear, showed limited renewable enthusiasm. Local opposition to wind farms—the "not in my backyard" syndrome—proved fiercer than expected. Progress lagged ambitious targets.