France electricity generation: solar
France electricity generation: solar stood at 32.9 TWh in 2025, according to ODRé – Open Data Réseaux Énergies (RTE, NaTran, Teréga). It is one of the indicators in the Electricity: annual generation, consumption and capacity table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 2012 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Electricity: annual generation, consumption and capacity table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar | 32.9 | 24.8 | 22.5 | 19.2 | 14.2 | 12.7 | 12 | 10.4 | 9.1 | 8.4 | |
| Bioenergy | 10.9 | 10.6 | 10.3 | 10.6 | 10 | 9.6 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.3 | 8.6 | |
| Fossil thermal | 18.7 | 20 | 31.7 | 49 | 38.6 | 37.3 | 41.7 | 38.4 | 53.3 | 45 |
Understanding france electricity generation: solar
Quantifying electrical energy converted directly from sunlight, this measure records generation from utility-scale photovoltaic farms, commercial installations, and residential solar panels feeding into the electricity grid. The calculation captures metered energy injected into distribution networks, excluding self-consumed electricity generated behind the meter by rooftop systems without grid export feeds. Unlike thermal or nuclear technologies providing steady baseload power, solar generation is constrained by daylight hours, cloud cover, and seasonal sun angles. It contrasts with wind metrics through its high predictability over daily cycles combined with pronounced seasonal peaks during summer months.
Interpreting this series requires accounting for weather anomalies and seasonal daylight variations, which dictate that annual comparisons provide a truer reflection of structural capacity growth than short-term periods. Preliminary data often undergoes revision as telemetry from decentralized rooftop installations is aggregated and reconciled by network operators. When comparing solar output against other generation sources, analysts must remember that photovoltaic capacity factors differ fundamentally from dispatchable thermal or nuclear assets.
Frequently asked questions
- Are residential rooftop solar panels without grid export included in this dataset?
- Only electricity exported to the grid or metered commercial systems is captured, excluding behind-the-meter self-consumption.
- What factors create the primary variations in solar generation data?
- Sunlight availability, seasonal daylight hours, and cloud cover drive the fluctuations in output.
- Why are year-on-year comparisons recommended over monthly reviews for solar power?
- Annual comparisons neutralize seasonal daylight shifts, highlighting true capacity expansion rather than weather cycles.