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France unveils plan for solar power development

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-11-18 12:29

PARIS -- The French government Monday presented details of a plan by 2011 to build at least one solar power plant in each region with a combined strength of 300 megawatts.

"Solar is the big one," French Environment and Energy Minister Jean-Louis Borloo said. "In terms of industrial collapse and lower industrial costs, it's the one that we have the most extensive capacity."

The minister said solar energy would be competitive with other sources "around 2020."

"France aims to play a leading role in the technological revolution which is about to happen in solar power," he added.

According to the plan, the amount of solar power used in the country will share 23 percent of renewables in final energy consumption by 2020, compared with 10.3 percent in 2005.

France is the fourth largest country for installed solar capacity in Europe, behind Germany, Spain and Italy.

By the end of June, France's solar capacity was 18 megawatts, which was a big rise from 6 megawatts in 2006. A megawatt is equal to one million watts.

The new projects are now ready to represent an annual growth of 130 percent.

Renewable energy in France could reach an annual market of 24 billion euros ($30 billion) in 2020 and represent 120,000 jobs, according to France's energy agency Ademe.