a blue tariff that is less and less green

EDF published its 2023 energy mix last month, and the place of renewable energies within the regulated tariff has never been lower. Where does the production of powerful dams go? Can we say that the environmental quality of the electricity supplied to the 20 million customer households of EDF's regulated tariff is deteriorating? We take stock.

EDF is a major producer of carbon-free energy

On the EDF website, we learn that renewables represent 13.27% of EDF's production in 2023. However, on the blue tariff price list, there are only 4.7% left. This low proportion of “green” electricity is offset by a share of nuclear power which jumps from 78.7% in production to 86.5% in the blue tariff. Both sources are carbon-free, but nuclear is not renewable. It generates nuclear waste at the rate of 2.3 mg per kWh, or around 10 grams per year for an average household.

So where has EDF’s renewable production gone?

With the regulated tariff, the State imposes a sales price on EDF. But the energy mix associated with this tariff is not determined by the authorities. Selling its renewable electricity outside the regulated tariff allows EDF to maximize its profitability, in tense economic conditions: the losses of 2022 have not been covered by the profit of 2023, and the State shareholder is already requesting a dividend.

It is likely that EDF's renewable production will be primarily sold to businessesfond of this improvement in their carbon footprint. Or even in market offers for individualslike the Vert Électrique offer, which displays 97% electricity from hydraulic sources, 2% wind power, and 1% biomass.

The legal notices of the price list lean more towards this option with the replacement of the phrase “2022 origin of electricity sold by EDF” par “2023 origin of electricity from the Regulated Electricity Sale Tariff“.

So the regulated rate isn't green?

The regulated rate is indeed not green. It combines this fault with a second: it does not announce the color ! We only learn the energy mix of the regulated tariff for 2023 in 2024, and we still do not know the energy mix of the current regulated tariff! This wasn't a topic when it didn't vary, but it now appears to be changing widely from year to year.

I (the author of this article) am annoyed, because I am a customer of the Tempo option of the regulated rate. I really like this option, but I realize that this is a really poor in terms of energy mix. So of course, compared to European neighbors, the fact of generating “only nuclear waste” is already a good point for the climate. But frankly, 4.7% renewables, down compared to previous years… it's not a great score.

It is interesting to note that self-deleting offers serve the environment in another way: by limiting the use of very carbon-intensive production sources (unfortunately, we still burn coal today to make electricity in France) during consumption peaks.

However, for base and peak hours off-peak customers of the regulated tariff, this is a new opportunity to look at market offers guaranteeing green electricity, with in particular the Green Electric offer from EDF which is positioned in below the regulated price for almost a year already or the Constance offer from La Bellenergie, which garners a Selectra Score of A thanks to very good value for money.