Energy Transition Infrastructure

Beyond nuclear, France develops renewable energy infrastructure, though lagging European peers:

Wind Power Development

Wind capacity reached 20 GW by 2023:

Onshore Wind: - 2,000 wind farms across France - Local opposition slowing development - Complex permitting procedures - Grid connection challenges in rural areas

Offshore Wind: - First commercial farm operational 2022 - 3.5 GW under construction - Higher costs but better capacity factors - Industrial opportunities in manufacturing and installation

Céline Moreau develops wind projects in Brittany:

"Each project takes 7-10 years from identification to operation. We need landowner agreements, environmental studies, public consultations, grid connections. Local acceptance is crucial—we share revenues with communities, but some still oppose visual impacts."

Solar Expansion

Solar capacity exceeded 15 GW by 2023:

- Rooftop installations on warehouses and homes - Ground-mounted farms on degraded land - Agrivoltaics combining farming with generation - Falling costs making solar competitive

Grid Modernization

Renewable integration requires grid investment:

RTE (Réseau de Transport d'Électricité) Challenges: - Balancing intermittent generation with demand - Upgrading transmission for renewable connections - Cross-border interconnections for electricity trading - Smart grid deployment for demand management

Distribution Networks: - Enedis managing 1.4 million kilometers of distribution lines - Smart meter rollout (35 million Linky meters) - Electric vehicle charging infrastructure - Distributed generation integration