Too much renewable in France? The country “throws” more and more electricity not consumed and it does not even lower prices

10% of the solar energy produced in 2025 has not been consumed. Additionally, Moreover, The fault of production peaks, to which the network and the producers must adapt.

The figure was multiplied by two in one year: according to the report of the RTE electricity network manager. Nevertheless, France died 2 TWh (terawattheures) of renewable electricity in the first half of 2025, against 1.1 TWh in 2024. In addition, Behind this barbaric term. However, an increasingly restrictive reality for actors in renewable energy as for consumers: France is due to overproductions.

In detail, France has thrown nearly 0.8 TWh of wind production (it was 0.7 TWh in 2024) and 1.2 TWh of solar energy, an amount multiplied by three compared to the first six months of 2024. Consequently, In all, France produced 273.4 TWh of electricity (all sources of energy combined), this waste represents 0.7% too much renewable france? country of loss.

The leading mechanism is quite simple: renewable energies have intermittent productions – they do not stable the same amount of. Furthermore, energy stable. Meanwhile, During favorable climatic events (no more wind. Therefore, more sun), they can provide too much energy, and surplus appears, that we decide to lose – it is “crisp”.

This. In addition, for several reasons: non-retaining or partial attachment to the network of production facilities, or cables and links already saturated; Or even production of such an amount of energy that it is impossible to compensate – by storing electricity or especially by lowering the production of so -called pilotable energies (of which production can be adjusted) such as hydroelectricity and nuclear.

Growth crisis – Too much renewable france? country

Renewables are also victims of a growth crisis: 2.1 GW (gigawatts) of solar capacity and 0.2 GW of wind capacity (terrestrial and sea) installed between January and May, bringing capacity to the end too much renewable france? country of May 2025 to 26.4 GW for solar, and 24.6 for wind turbines. In addition, Solar energy production jumped 3.5 TWh compared to last year; In June, solar even exceeded nuclear in France. Moreover, This mechanically increases the risks of surplus, and therefore the losses recorded. In addition, RTE underlines that the figures explode for solar.

“On average between April. Meanwhile, June, clipped production corresponds to around 10 % of the volume theoretically produced for solar (compared to 5 % in 2024 and 1 % in 2023)”, explains the network manager.

Despite exports to foreign countries increasing (37.6 TWh were exported by France over the first 6 months, or around 13%), the phenomenon should therefore not weaken. For example, Jean-Paul Harreman, director of the Cabinet Montel Analytics, explains that the worst is to come this summer.

“The negative prices of electricity should reach record levels in certain Europe regions too much renewable france? country in the third quarter. This trend is fueled by continuous expansion of renewable capacities, in particular solar, without equivalent increase in underlying demand.”

This increase should also continue because of the difficulties experienced by the nuclear sectors – pending new generation reactors. EDF has faced corrosion – and hydroelectric – problems with recurrent droughts.

Negative prices. no demand

The major consequence of this rise in rate of renewables is the variation in prices: during production peaks, prices can be negative, industrialists preferring to sell at a loss rather than extinguishing their production sites, long to restart. This was the case for 363 hours in France. a record again, even if it is less than in Spain (459 hours) or in Sweden (506 hours), two countries with ambitious renewable strategies. Conversely, in the evening, the prices soar, because renewable production leaves room for fossil power plants.

Paradox raised by RTE: despite the rise too much renewable france? country in waste. the increase in negative prices, the price of average electricity does not drop. It even increases, to 67 €/MWh on average over the first six months of 2025. The sign of a divergence of deep profitability between different energy sources: renewables become. by far, the least expensive source of electricity production. This overlaps the figures of Irena. the International Agency for Renewables: 91% of the new renewable capacities installed in 2024 delivered cheaper electricity than their fossil counterparts.

For manufacturers consumer energy, variations can be complicated to manage. The consequences on the network, regularly on tension, are also important. In terms of consumers. the main consequence may be to pull the price of the buyout down, for homes that produce their electrons: it is then more coherent to self -consom. In terms of invoices, no immediate impact: this energy in negative land is consumed by companies. And penalized electricity too much renewable france? country producers are compensated by the State. which can cost public finances and have a negative effect on invoices in fine (Conversely, contracts provide that producers part of their profits when prices are very high).

Invest massively to better control peaks

For electricity producers. negative prices are problematic, because they limit profits, and above all, they jeopardize the installations. In the event of a negative price. they often prefer to sell but could stop production; An option explored by the Spaniard Iberdrola, for example, on its fleet wind turbines off Saint-Brieuc (Côtes d’Armor). Turbines are stopped momentarily, but this stop & go would damage them at Long-Terme.

On the EDF side. another problem appears: when peaks of renewables occur, nuclear power plants must be placed in part at rest and not produce. But these power plants obviously cannot be stopped. even less for a few hours each day; EDF therefore has costs too much renewable france? country that remain the same, without the production that goes with it.

The solutions to compensate for these peaks, which therefore unbalance the network and its actors, are multiple. Encourage. first, electricity consumption in off -peak hours – especially in the afternoon during the summer, in the middle of a solar peak. This involves overhaul of the prices offered to consumers by EDF. The installation of charging stations for electric vehicles. very widespread in the United States or Germany, could encourage recharges during off-peak hours and provide support to the network.

Above all, RTE plans an investment of 100 billion euros to adapt the infrastructure to solar hatch. This plan aims to strengthen interconnections, develop storage, and modernize the network to allow it to better support variations. Enedis must manage a million production points, to be connected.

Without these fittings. it remains to tolerate the losses generated by the peaks: “You can make your too much renewable france? country network absorb every kilowat hour produced. Or else. because the wind or the sun does not generate any marginal cost, tolerate to lose a little, as long as you finally produced it quite quite”, explains for example the specialist Mark Hedin, Aurora Energy Research.