Rebates on energy bills to take the pill out of a renewable energy installation… The measure is currently included in the bill “acceleration of renewable energies (EnR)”, debated this week in the Assembly. The text, presented at the end of September by the government, aims to catch up with France, a poor European student in this area.
To go “twice as fast”, as Emmanuel Macron aims, the question of the “acceptability” of these energies inevitably arises while wind projects, in particular, are the subject of almost systematic legal action. To reduce tensions, this bill aims to focus on greater sharing of the value generated by these energies within the territories where they are located. This is the subject of chapter 2, article 18 of which therefore provides for “an annual lump sum payment, deducted from the electricity bill” for residents living near a renewable energy production facility.
Inspired by Ireland
The example is Ireland, where a similar system exists. The winners of wind power tenders must pay 1,000 euros per year to all households located within one kilometer of the wind turbines, quote the bill. The text proposes to draw inspiration from it, without however specifying the scope within which the rebate would apply, nor its amount. However, the study of the financial cost, carried out on onshore wind, gives an overview of what the executive has in mind. The assumption taken is that of an annual discount of 20 euros per year and per household per megawatt (MW) of installed power, knowing that the average wind farm in France is around 12 MW of power. “The total cost of the rebate is estimated at 380 million euros per year for individuals, if all households within 5 km of a wind installation are eligible, and at 136 million if this distance is reduced to 3 km. “, assesses the bill.
On this issue of local sharing of the value of renewable energy projects, France is not starting from a blank sheet, recalls Jules Nyssen, president of the Syndicate of Renewable Energies (SER), which brings together the players in the sector. “Renewable energy installations are subject in particular to flat-rate tax on network companies (IFER). A tax that directly contributes to the revenues of local communities, he recalls. It is also not uncommon for project developers and communities to work together on co-financing and value-sharing measures. »
Renewable energies, damage to be compensated?
On the other hand, until then there was no systematized sharing of value directed directly to individuals, underlines Jules Nyssen. It is this void that rebates on energy bills would fill. A good idea ? The president of the SER has reservations. “Associating local residents with the benefits of an EnR project is not illogical,” he begins. But we must not come to present the renewable energy installations as a prejudice that should be compensated much more than projects of general interest. »
A limit also identified by Alexis Monteil-Gutel, renewable energy project manager at Cler-Network for energy transitionand Marie-Noëlle Battistel, PS MP of Isere. But they see others. “How to choose the perimeter?, raises the first. Whatever the method, at the scale of the municipality or within a radius of X kilometers, these rebates will be a source of conflict between local residents, sometimes within a few meters. “In France, we are lucky enough to pay the kilowatt everywhere in the same way,” adds the MP. This measure would open a Pandora’s box. All excuses will then be good to differentiate prices. Finally, Alexis Monteil-Gutel like Marie-Noëlle Battistel are skeptical about financing. “Not by the project developers, but on the state budget, specifies the deputy. In other words, consumers from other territories”.
Rather contributions to local funds?
The socialist then makes the sharing of value one of the “hard points” of the bill. Its examination in public session, in the Assembly, was to end this Friday but will most certainly overflow into next week, the time to review the approximately 3,000 amendments tabled. The text could therefore still move a lot, including on this discount proposal. “Amendments against have been tabled, we have good hope of convincing”, slips Marie-Noëlle Battistel.
In any case, this bill could, ultimately, to advance this issue of value sharing. “We are seeing proposals emerge, including from the government, so that project leaders are in the future obliged to contribute to a national fund for the preservation of biodiversity, but also local funds to accelerate the ecological transition, points out Jules Nyssen. It seems more interesting to us. »
What about citizen energy then?
The head of the SER also quotes article 18 bis. It aims to reinforce the possibility for residents and municipalities of the territories concerned to participate in the capital of project leaders. In short: promotesr citizen energy projects. Nothing better to increase the desirability of renewables, to listen to Marion Richard, head of national animation of shared energy, a movement that federates and accompanies these projects. “Not just because they allow residents and local players to have their say,” she explains. This also greatly facilitates the understanding of the projects and the local benefits are much better, around two to three more than a classic project. »
To date, shared energy lists 290 citizen energy projects, of which 185 are in operation. Here again, France is late, “especially if we compare ourselves to Germany or Denmark”, regrets Alexis Monteil-Gutel. Just a year ago, Barbara Pompili, then Minister for the Ecological Transition, set the course to have 1,000 more by 2028. Alexis Monteil-Gutel and Marion Richard regret that this “acceleration” bill Renewable Energy” does not help achieve this objective either. “Article 18 bis can be interesting if it is well done, but there were much more urgent measures to take *”, considers Marion Richard.