France Hits Rooftop Solar Target as Prices Fall

• France awards 302.5 MW of rooftop and canopy solar at lower prices, signaling stronger competition, better C&I economics, and sustained distributed PV momentum to bolster energy security and decarbonization.

France awarded 302.51 MW in its latest tender for rooftop solar, shade houses and car-park canopies, hitting the round’s capacity target and marking lower average winning prices versus the previous auction. The results underscore steady momentum in distributed photovoltaic deployment as policymakers seek to expand on-site generation and ease grid pressures.

The price decline suggests intensifying competition and moderating equipment costs, potentially improving project economics for commercial and industrial hosts. The awarded capacity adds to France’s broader push to accelerate renewables buildout amid energy-security and decarbonization goals, with further rooftop-focused procurements expected to maintain pace if market conditions remain supportive.

Which technologies and contracting models won France’s rooftop PV tender by segment and size?

• Buildings (100–500 kW): ballast-mounted rooftop PV using monocrystalline modules (rising share of bifacial glass-glass where weight allows) with three-phase string inverters; awarded under 20‑year feed‑in tariff (contrat d’achat OA Solaire).
  
• Buildings (500 kW–8 MW): fixed-tilt rooftop C&I systems with bifacial modules and multi‑MPPT string inverters; awarded 20‑year feed‑in premium (complément de rémunération) contracts indexed to market prices.
  
• Car-park canopies (500 kW–8 MW): steel/aluminum canopies with bifacial glass‑glass modules and elevated tilt; 20‑year feed‑in premium (complément de rémunération).
  
• Shade houses/greenhouses (500 kW–8 MW): semi‑transparent or spaced-row modules providing agronomic shading; 20‑year feed‑in premium (complément de rémunération).
  
• Behind‑the‑meter C&I self‑consumption (typically 100–500 kW on buildings): rooftop arrays prioritizing on‑site use with surplus injection; winners take the 20‑year feed‑in tariff for exported kWh or premium where applicable, paired with private PPAs for on‑site supply in some cases.