The population of France is 59 million people. The installed power of the entire generating capacity is 113 GW. At the same time, NPP produces 77%, TPP - 11%, HPP - 12%.
Basic Stats France
- Population 66,616,416
- GDP (per capita) $40,37
- Final Energy Consumption (Mtoe) 150,77
- Final Energy Consumption in Transport (Mtoe) 50,27
- Final Energy Consumption in Transport Share 33%
The state controls and manages such large industries of the economy as energy, airpower and telecommunications. However, in recent decades, privatization processes are still taking place.
In the energy industry, prevails the state-owned company Electricite de France, which controls the whole process of production, transport and distribution of electric energy.
Electricite de France is also active in the UK energy markets (France already owns about 7% of the electricity market), Denmark, Germany. At the same time, the French energy market remains inaccessible to external participants.
Taking into account very modest own fuel storage, France has strategically focused on nuclear power. Now, France occupies the second place in the world (after the USA) at the installed capacity of the nuclear power plant (NPP), having 57 reactors.
Agricultural potential for biofuel
France is the largest agricultural producer in Europe, and by 2010 it has planned to become the largest supplier of biodiesel fuel, bringing its share in its own country to 1% of the total fuel consumption. In addition to rapeseed biodiesel, France produces ethyl alcohol from grain and sugar beet, which is also used for fueling cars.
France is one of the leaders in the production of both biodiesel and bioethanol. Since 1992, France has established 100% exemption from taxes on biodiesel production and 80% exemption from tax - on ethanol for pilot designs. However, when in 2010 production approached 420000 tons, this could not already be called a pilot design. Therefore, EC repealed such benefits in France. The quotas for biofuel production were set at 317,500 tons.
In France, burnt straw constitutes 12%, the rest is used in animal industry or plowed on fertilizer.
For a long time, the energy strategy of France emphasized the nuclear energy, which provided 77% of the country's needs, but at present, the French energy market is rapidly changing its structure.
Biofuel potential in France
By 2020, biomass (besides biofuel) will provide more than one-third of the total renewable energy development potential in France (about 7.5 million tons of oil equivalent). In France, biomass is mainly used for the heat production in the household sector, as well as for the electricity production.
The biomass potential, which can be mobilized for the production of heat, electricity, hydrogen and biofuel, is estimated at 30 million tons of oil equivalent. The spread of energy recycling technologies of biomass and waste requires regulatory initiatives strengthening, in particular, by revising tariffs for the purchase of electricity produced from biogas.
The overall efficiency of the entire energy recycling chain of biomass should be increased due to its optimization at each stage, as well as improving the equipment efficiency. In addition, an important factor is the reduction of emissions of harmful substances (in particular, particulate matter), against which there is a constant tightening of emission standards.
