In France, it is not an uncommon sight to see parking spaces with solar panels. But now Emmanuel Macron's government is taking further steps to ensure that parking lots become a guaranteed source of green energy.
A new law requires owners of parking lots with between 80 and 800 spaces to install solar panels on their facility within five years. Owners of parking lots larger than that have even more stringent requirements - they must act within three years and at least 50% of the surface must be covered.
According to an article in The Guardian, the aim is to support the national electricity grid, which has been greatly affected by the war in Ukraine. Because of this, the French government has already decided to use 45 billion euros to protect the country's households and industries from sky-high electricity prices.
France, particularly under the leadership of Emmanuel Macron, has long been ambitious in its investment in sustainable energy. The government has been running a national campaign, translated as 'Every gesture counts', which encourages individuals and companies to reduce energy consumption.
The new law is expected to bring an additional 11 gigawatts of solar energy to the grid.
