10.12.2010: Exclusive.

The FNSEA (French farming union), Young farmers and Chambers of Agriculture have reacted strongly to a decree concerning feed-in tariffs on pholtovoltaics. Alexandre Sine, a representative of the ministry of the economy, and Arnaud Gossement, an energy and environmental lawyer, have held debates at a symposium on renewable energies.

Animated exchanges took place during the ‘Agriculture, Renewables and Competitiveness’ conference on December 8, which was organised by the three agricultural groups.

The debates concerned a decree on photovoltaic energy feed-in tarrifs of the 2 December. If the projected decree comes into force, the act will suspend pending cases for four months, starting from the 2 December.   

According to Pascal Ferey, president of the union’s Environmental Commission, the Government has behaved “contemptibly”.

He continued “We understand that the adjustments in tariffs are necessary, but once again, the government have imposed an order without first establishing a dialogue. Just as in January and last August, these unforeseen regulatory changes compromise numerous projects already undertaken by farmers”.

Before an auditorium angered and concerned by this latest episode in the photovoltaic case, Pascal Ferey spoke to Alexandre Sine of the Ministry of the Economy, who is participating in a round-table think-tank on the subject, demanding “who will pay the 8-15,000€ which has been promised to farmers if their projects are rejected by this unexpected decree?”

As Mr Sine declined to respond, Mr Ferey continued, “the government would like to purge the waiting list of speculative projects which will raise citizens’ electricity bills; very well. However, the agricultural photovoltaic projects are not speculative! We wish to save them from the purge that the moratorium [of the 2 December] will entail.”

The Union hopes for more consultation

Mr Ferey went on to outline the union’s fears, explaining that “we would appreciate more discussion with the government. We are contesting this decree in the same way as we did certain aspects of the tariff cuts of January and August. We want to see the state inveighing against power stations. We want them [the government] to review their criteria on integration of renewables in building projects and want to see them permitting projects on new buildings to benefit from these criteria.”

French Farmers need clear guide lines.

“French Farmers are ready to participate in the drive that will see 23% of France’s energy being renewably sourced by 2020, but in order for that to happen, farmers need the state to announce a politically clear line on renewable energy production, and in particular to photovoltaics”.

Dominique Barru, secretary general of the FNSEA, voiced views to the same effect, stating “It is imperative that we clear up this shambles surrounding photovoltaics.” She claimed that the farmers were not acting as opportunists; they merely sought to be a force for change towards renewable energies.

French Government claim renewables are expensive

In response, hotly anticipated by farmers with threatened projects pending and indignant installers, Alexandre Sine explained “We may well reach our proposed objectives for photovoltaics for 2020 within the next few months. This source of renewable energy is currently extremely expensive. The suspension of our buying contract is necessary to maintain a reasonable growth. These new channels of photovoltaics risk engendering additional costs of 3 billion Euros a year, and raising home energy bills by 200€ per year. What is more, if we install new projects too fast, we will be encumbered with many solar power units which will soon become obsolete.”

In response to this, representatives of APESI (a French non-profit photovoltaics company) and the SNDPEP (French Photovoltaics Union), railed against the minister, demanding he explain “these ineptitudes”. The minister stoically continued “we import many solar panels from abroad, for which we subsidise the commercial deficit. Today, French solar panels are not competitive at any level.”

Court actions on the horizon

Environmental and energy lawyer Arnaud Gossement, showed his dissatisfaction with the minister’s stance, explaining that “the problem of importing Chinese panels is that it will become a vicious circle. If you bring down feed-in tariffs, installers will only continue to buy Chinese panels over European ones, to diminish their own charges.”

The lawyer expressed his support of the FNSEA and the Renewable Energies union, over the waiting list “we need a level of transparency on the waiting list; we need to know which projects will succeed in reality and what the final cost will be to the taxpayer.”

Gossement also commented on his astonishment at the lack of forewarning by the government; “there are indicators which make possible the evolution of the number of new cases. Despite this, the government have been caught short, resulting in legislative changes three times in the space of a year. This law is fast becoming unintelligible; Since February, fifteen new amendments have been made to the law on photovoltaics.”

The lawyer fears that, after the government defaulted conferring with the Unions, the debate will now be played out in the courts, just as happened with wind energy. Should there be a legal dispute; the unions have promised to stand in solidarity with one another.