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Clean energy for EU islands
  • Regulatory information
  • Electricity support

Premium tariff (Complément de rémunération par guichet ouvert)

  1. Abbreviated form of legal source(s)

    • Arrêté du 3 septembre 2019 biogaz
    • Arrêté du 9 mai 2017 biogaz
    • Arrêté du 13 décembre 2016 biogaz
    • Arrêté du 6 mai 2017 vent
    • Arrêté du 13 décembre 2016 geo
    • Arrêté du 13 décembre 2016 hydro
    • Code de l’énergie

  2. Description of support scheme

    A premium tariff (complément de rémunération) - in the form of guaranteed contracts - is paid to renewable energy producers in order to compensate for the difference between the income from energy sale and a reference level of remuneration, set by decree depending on technology and size of the plant.
    Eligibility period is 20 years (Arrêté du 6 mai 2017 vent, Arrêté du 13 décembre 2016 geo, Arrêté du 13 décembre 2016 hydro, Arrêté du 13 décembre 2016 biogaz).

  3. Amount

    Wind Energy:
    • The amount of the premium is calculated according to a formula provided in the Annex of the Arrêté of 6 mai 2017 vent, taking into account:
    o monthly electricity amount produced by the RES installation and delivered during the operating hours of the spot wholesale market
    o reference tariff in €/MWh mentioned in R.314-37 Code de l’énergie, which is defined according to Annex III Order of 6 mai 2017. The reference tariff is based on the average investment and operating costs of an efficient installation representative of the sector in question.
    o reference market price for the respective month mentioned in R.314-38 Code de l’énergie
    o management premium mentioned in R.314-41 Code de l’énergie and equals 2.8 €/MWh for the whole contract period
    o number of capacity guarantees, defined in MW, defined for a calendar year
    o reference market price of the capacity, expressed in € / MW.
    Geothermal energy, biogas, hydro power: The amount of the premium is calculated according to a formula provided in the Annexes of specific decrees, taking into account:
    o annual electricity amount produced by the RES installation and delivered during the operating hours of the spot wholesale market
    o reference tariff
    o reference market price for the respective RES technology, as calculated by the French regulatory authority
    o management premium
    o number of capacity guarantees, defined in MW, defined for a calendar year
    o reference market price of the capacity, expressed in € / MW.

  4. Addressees

    The addressees of the premium tariff are eligible renewable energy plants operators. Electricity suppliers the designated entities for paying the premium tariff.

  5. Procedure

    A binding agreement is put in place by law between renewable energy plant operators and electricity suppliers, which stipulates that operators are entitled to payment for the energy that they input into the wholesale market.

  6. Competent authority

    The competent authority is, depending on the case, the Ministry of Energy or the regional Regional prefect. CRE also provides advice by deliberation for the draft decree regarding the mechanisms of open desk.

  7. Technologies

    Wind energy onshore

    the premium tariff is only available for plants of up to 3 MW per generator (and up to six generators) located in continental France (Art. 314-23 Code de l’énergie).

    Wind energy offshore
    Solar energy
    Geothermal energy

    According to Art. 4, Arrêté du 13 décembre 2016 geo:
    • All plant’s geothermal wells must be located in the same site
    • Any installation that primarily uses energy extracted from geothermal deposits in the same upstream unit - whose well(s) have never before produced energy used by an installation to produce electricity under a feed-in tariff or a premium tariff - is eligible
    • The application for the premium tariff must be filed and completed before construction work for the installation of the plant have started

    Biogas

    • Installations using biogas produced by the methanisation of urban or industrial sewage with an installed capacity between 500 kW and 12 MW (Article D314-23, Code de l’énergie)
    • Biogas from non-hazardous waste storage facilities with an installed capacity of 500 kW and 12 MW (Art. D314-23, Code de l’énergie).
    o Biogas producers whose purchase contract for a feed-in tariff under the former regulation has expired may also benefit from a premium tariff for the electricity generated from installations in continental mainland with an installed capacity of more than 500 kW (Article D314-24, Code de l’énergie, pursuant to art. L. 314-19).
    o Biogas producers who have already concluded a contract for a premium tariff under the former regulation may benefit from a new premium tariff for the electricity generated from installations with an installed capacity of more than 500 kW (Article D314- 25, Code de l’énergie, pursuant to art. L. 314-21).

    Hydro-power

    According to Art. D314-23, Code de l’énergie, eligibility is limited to plants with installed capacity up to 1 MW (for hydraulic power generated by lakes, rivers and gravity-piped water).

    Biomass