France largely beats its European neighbors in the production of “green” electricity and takes a certain strategic advantage for the future

France reaches a new peak in the production of carbon-free electricity.

In 2024, France marked a historic milestone in its energy sector by producing a record quantity of carbon-free electricity, reaching nearly 95% of its total production. According to RTE, the high voltage network manager, this performance is the result of a “rapid recovery” in the nuclear sector and an unprecedented boom in renewable energies.

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Nuclear electricity production experienced a strong recovery, generating 361.7 TWh, a clear improvement compared to the dark year of 2022 marked by historically low levels. This recovery is accompanied by exceptional hydraulic production of 74.7 TWh, the highest since 2013, and a significant increase in wind and solar production, which together reached 70 TWh.

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Fossil fuels on the decline

2024 was also a year when electricity production from fossil sources reached its lowest level since the 1950s, with only 19.9 TWh produced, marking a historic first where this production was lower than that of the solar energy.

International comparisons and future ambitions

While France continues to dominate Europe with its predominantly nuclear energy mix, other countries, such as Germany and the United Kingdom, are emphasizing renewables. Germany recorded 59% of its electricity production from renewables in 2024, while the UK reached 58% carbon-free production.

Largely carbon-free energy thanks to nuclear power

With a carbon intensity of only 21.3 grams of CO2 equivalent per kWh, France is positioned as one of the cleanest countries in terms of electricity production. This progress underlines the importance of the French electricity system in the decarbonization of the national economy, still largely dependent on fossil and imported energies.

But France lags behind in renewable energies

Despite this remarkable progress, France still has a way to go in the field of renewable energies. Although renewable production reached a record 148 TWh in 2024, or 27.6% of total production, this figure remains lower than that of some European neighbors. Wind, for example, only contributed 46.6 TWh, while solar produced 23.3 TWh. To achieve its long-term climate objectives, France will have to accelerate the deployment of renewable energies, aiming for a greater share in its energy mix, while maintaining its strong base already acquired in nuclear power.

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This article highlights France's significant progress in the production of carbon-free electricity in 2024, a success which strengthens its role as a European leader in the energy transition. These efforts contribute not only to achieving climate objectives but also to the reindustrialization of the country.

Source : RTE

Visual created using Canvas for representation purposes.

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