PPE3: Analysis 2026–2035 – Behind the vote lie the energy choices that will shape France’s future.

Published on 12 February 2026, and long awaited for nearly three years, the third Multi-Year Energy Plan (PPE3) sets out France’s energy roadmap for 2026–2035. It aims to achieve a more self-sufficient, competitive and carbon-free electricity sector, whilst keeping public costs under control and ensuring smooth grid integration.

PPE3: Governance and methodology

The PPE3 is characterised by extensive public consultation, with 50,000 participants, 7,500 proposals and over 1 million votes in 2025.

It also aims to align with:

  • The SNBC3
  • The National Adaptation Plan
  • European commitments

The key objectives of PPE3

The PPE3 sets out three key priorities for France’s energy transition:

  1. Strengthening energy self-sufficiency by reducing dependence on imports and securing the energy supply.
  2. Achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, in line with the climate commitments of France and the European Union.
  3. Maintaining competitive energy prices, while guaranteeing access to electricity for all consumers.

To achieve these objectives, the PPE3 forecasts 650 to 693 TWh of carbon-free electricity in 2035 (compared to 544 TWh in 2025), relying on a diversified energy mix:

  • Nuclear power, expanded to ensure stable and controllable generation.
  • Hydroelectricity, for its flexibility and storage capacity.
  • Onshore and offshore wind power, with a gradual increase in (PV) installed capacity and repowering projects.
  • Solar photovoltaic, prioritised in the strategy due to its strong competitiveness and potential for rapid deployment.
  • Non-electric low-carbon energy sources, including district heating networks, biomethane, biofuels and hydrogen, to complement the mix and reduce emissions in sectors that are difficult to electrify.

The PPE3 also includes a review clause in 2027, allowing energy planning to be adjusted in line with actual changes in consumption, technological advances and the availability of energy sources. This flexibility aims to maintain a balance between security of supply, costs and climate ambitions.

Key figures for 2035

  • Carbon-free electricity generation: 650–693 TWh
  • Photovoltaics: 55–80 GW (48 GW by 2030, ~30 GW by the end of 2025)
  • Onshore wind: 35–40 GW (31 GW by 2030)
  • Offshore wind: 15 GW (around 18 GW by 2037)
  • Hydrogen: up to 8 GW of electrolysis by 2035
  • Renewable heat: 328–421 TWh
  • Biomethane: 47–82 TWh injected
  • Biofuels: 70–90 TWh
  • + 120,000 jobs (including + 38,000 in PV, + 28,000 in offshore wind) by 2030
  • Grid modernisation (SDDR by RTE) and new capacity mechanism from winter 2026–2027

Solar photovoltaic: controlled expansion and site selection priorities

The PPE3 recognises the central role of solar photovoltaic, with a target of 48 GW installed by 2030, compared with around 30 GW today. This represents an average rate of 3.5 to 4 GW of new installations per year, a sustained but measured effort, lower than the most ambitious scenarios of recent years.

By 2035, the PPE3 sets a range of 55 to 80 GW, reflecting a gradual and adaptable approach. This flexibility marks a turning point: solar power is no longer merely a catch-up measure, but a managed tool, the development of which will depend on actual consumption, the state of the grid and industrial capacity.

In concrete terms, the PPE3 prioritises:

  • Rooftop solar: public, industrial and residential buildings.
  • Solar Carports, now integrated into regional strategies.
  • Ground Mounted plants, with stricter regulation of land use.
  • Agrivoltaics, targeted and developed under specific conditions.

The government highlights the speed of deployment, modularity and the continuous fall in solar costs to support the electrification of uses, particularly within regions.

Solar energy constrained by system limitations

The PPE3 clearly supports solar energy, but also sets limits. The reduction in targets compared to the draft versions reflects a priority: the balance of the electricity grid.

The intermittent nature of solar photovoltaic power requires parallel investment in:

  • Grid connection and reinforcement,
  • Electricity storage,
  • Flexibility mechanisms, such as demand response or load shedding.

Thus, solar photovoltaic power is envisaged as a strategic complement to controllable resources, rather than a complete substitute.

🔗Visit this page to learn more about the different types of solar photovoltaic systems.

 

Wind power: growth through repowering and expansion of offshore capacity

Wind power, both onshore and offshore, is growing at a more moderate pace in the PPE 3. The document confirms the continuation of existing projects and the development of offshore wind power, but without any major acceleration.

This decision reflects:

  • Local acceptance constraints
  • Industrial lead times
  • The desire not to focus efforts on a single intermittent technology

For onshore wind power, the chosen trajectory projects 31 GW of capacity by 2030, and between 35 and 40 GW by 2035, compared to 24 GW by 2025. Priority is given to ‘repowering’, in order to increase production without expanding the footprint.

For offshore wind, the target is 15 GW by 2035, then 18 GW by 2037, with a European industrial approach in line with NZIA criteria, and phased tenders across all coastlines.

Whilst wind power remains a pillar of the renewable energy mix, it plays a less central role than solar power in the chosen trajectory, reflecting the PPE 3’s cautious approach in the face of technical and local constraints.

Nuclear and hydroelectric power: a controllable base load and flexibility

The PPE3 revives nuclear power through the extension or optimisation of the existing fleet. The target is set at between 380 and 420 TWh for 2030, with the construction of 6 EPR2 reactors (with the option to approve 8 additional ones) and support for innovative technologies (SMR).

On the hydropower front, France is targeting +2.8 GW of reservoir capacity, including 1.7 GW of pumped storage, in order to improve the system’s controllability and balancing.

Complementary low-carbon energy sources: heat, biomethane, biofuels, hydrogen

For uses that are difficult to electrify, the PPE3 relies on carbon-free alternatives, such as:

  • Renewable heating and cold: 328 to 421 TWh of heat and 2.5 to 3 TWh of cold supplied via networks by 2035
  • Biomethane: between 47 and 82 TWh injected
  • Biofuels: 70 to 90 TWh (transport and non-transport)
  • And hydrogen: up to 8 GW of electrolysis by 2035

Incentive mechanisms (IRICC and CPB, for example) complement electricity tenders in order to control public spending.

Grid, flexibility and resilience: the large-scale integration of renewable energy

The rise of renewable energy (RE) requires the electricity system to be adapted to ensure flexibility, reliability and resilience:

  • Reform of plant control: better management of negative prices, gradual adjustment of generation and optimisation of feed-in to the grid.
  • Overhaul of the capacity mechanism, with deployment planned for winter 2026–2027, to ensure availability during periods of high demand.
  • Modernisation of the grid via the SDDR (Grid Development Master Plan): public consultation 2025–2026, approximately €100 billion in investment over 15 years, to efficiently connect consumers and new decentralised generation capacity.

These measures aim to support the large-scale integration of renewable energy sources, whilst maintaining security of supply and the stability of the electricity system.

ZNI: development plans tailored to local areas

The PPE3 is relaunching consultations for Non-Interconnected Areas (ZNI), including Corsica and the overseas territories, with a view to proposing tailor-made solutions:

  • Setting specific targets for these isolated territories.
  • Maintaining tariff equalisation to ensure fair prices for consumers.
  • Development of local renewable energy, with a particular focus on small-scale rooftop solar panels, to improve energy self-sufficiency and reduce dependence on energy imports.

This regional approach aims to balance energy efficiency, decarbonisation and local acceptance.

Public finances: a controlled trajectory

La PPE3 s’inscrit dans une logique de maîtrise des coûts pour l’État tout en soutenant la transition énergétique :

  • Recours massif aux contrats pour différence (CfD) pour limiter l’impact sur les finances publiques et sécuriser les revenus des producteurs.
  • Objectif de diviser par deux les dépenses publiques dédiées aux EnR d’ici 2040 (prix médian), tout en soutenant un déploiement progressif et efficient.
  • Côté nucléaire, l’EPR2 bénéficiera d’un prêt d’État couvrant au moins 50 % des coûts et d’un CfD plafonné à 100 €/MWh, garantissant un soutien financier maîtrisé et une stabilité pour le mix bas carbone.

Ces mesures permettent de combiner ambition climatique, sécurité énergétique et responsabilité budgétaire.

The PPE3 is designed to control costs for the government while supporting the energy transition:

  • Extensive use of Contracts for Difference (CfDs) to limit the impact on public finances and secure producers’ revenues.
  • The goal is to halve public spending on renewable energy by 2040 (median price), while supporting a gradual and efficient rollout.
  • On the nuclear side, the EPR2 will benefit from a government loan covering at least 50% of costs and a CfD capped at €100/MWh, ensuring controlled financial support and stability for the low-carbon energy mix.

These measures make it possible to combine climate ambition, energy security, and fiscal responsibility.

What this means for businesses

The PPE3, originally scheduled for adoption on July 1, 2023, sends clear long-term signals to economic stakeholders:

  1. Energy Efficiency and demand management: the importance of optimizing consumption and ensuring the flexibility of facilities.
  2. Local production and self-consumption: encouraging investment in solar photovoltaic power and renewable energy to reduce dependence and control costs.
  3. Flexibility & storage: the key role of batteries, hydrogen, and thermal storage solutions in supporting the variability of renewable energy.

For businesses, this roadmap clarifies priorities and creates new investment opportunities in the energy transition, whether directly or through ESCO companies that fully finance projects on behalf of the client, while supporting sustainable and profitable strategic planning.

GreenYellow: Your go-to energy partner for decarbonization, electrification of end-use applications, and energy flexibility to boost business competitiveness

To support businesses in the decentralized energy transition and help them control their costs, GreenYellow offers an integrated approach that combines:

  • Energy conservation and energy efficiency, to reduce consumption and optimize usage.
  • Electrification of uses, to gradually replace fossil fuels with low-carbon electricity.
  • Decentralized solar: self-consumption or PPA on-site, enabling businesses to generate and consume their own energy.
  • Energy flexibility: energy storage solutions—BESS and EMS—to manage consumption peaks, ensure energy flexibility, and maximize the integration of renewable energy.

This approach maximizes energy ROI while aligning CSR and CSRD objectives with the national trajectory of the PPE3.

Through its global platform, GreenYellow enables businesses to:

  • Improve their performance and competitiveness.
  • Secure their energy costs over the long term, with solutions that are 100% financed and guaranteed for the entire duration of the contract.
  • Maximize the value of their assets without any initial investment or financial risk.
  • Sustainably reduce their carbon footprint, making a concrete contribution to the decarbonization of the energy mix.
 

FAQ – 3 Questions to help you understand PPE3

Is the PPE3 slowing down the growth of solar energy?

The solar energy roadmap has been adjusted but remains ambitious: 48 GW by 2030 and 55 to 80 GW by 2035. The goal is to promote efficient and controlled deployment that is compatible with the grid and industrial capacity, while maximizing self-consumption and PPA.

The review clause allows for the adaptation of energy planning to actual developments: consumption, industrial and residential uses, the integration of new renewable energy sources, and the availability of energy sources. It ensures strategic flexibility and prevents imbalances or overinvestment.

The rise of renewable energy is leading to fluctuations in production and, at times, negative prices in the market. The PPE3 calls for:

  • A reform of plant management to adjust production and optimize grid feed-in.
  • The SDDR (Grid Development Master Plan), with approximately €100 billion in investments over 15 years, to efficiently connect new capacity and ensure system stability.

These measures aim to secure the operation of the power grid, massively integrate renewable energy, and preserve the energy competitiveness of businesses and consumers.

In summary

With the publication of the PPE3, the government is sending signals to the renewable energy (RE) sectors that are both ambitious and cautious.

Although no moratorium is in place, the targets for solar photovoltaic and wind power have been slightly adjusted downward compared to previous versions of the document.

For solar power, the PPE3 projects 48 GW of installed capacity by 2030 (RTE’s R3 trajectory), followed by 55 to 80 GW by 2035 (from R2 to beyond R3 in the RTE assessment), compared to 54 GW and 65 to 95 GW in the initial version. This shift reflects a commitment to controlled deployment, compatible with industrial constraints and the power grid.

In summary, the PPE3 marks a major turning point in French energy policy, structured around five main pillars:

  • The return of nuclear power, ensuring controllable and low-carbon generation.
  • Massive electrification of end-use sectors, to replace fossil fuels and accelerate decarbonization.
  • Industrialization of energy sectors across the country, to strengthen energy sovereignty and create local jobs.
  • Controlled financial planning, with targeted use of Contracts for Difference (CfDs) and oversight of public investments.
  • Robustness, flexibility, and resilience of the grid, ensuring the large-scale integration of renewable energy and the stability of the electricity system.

The PPE3 thus provides a clear framework for public and private actors,promoting innovation, competitiveness, and a sustainable energy transition, while addressing France’s economic, environmental, and regional challenges for 2035 and beyond.

📩 Ready to take action? Contact our GreenYellow experts today to get started on your energy transition.

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