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France’s Audit Court Flags €26.3 Billion Cost of Renewable Subsidies, Warns of Budget Risk

Auditors urge tighter oversight to curb rising budget risk from long‑term subsidies.

Overview

  • The Cour des comptes reports that support for solar, wind and biomethane cost the State €26.3 billion from 2016 to 2024, averaging €2.9 billion per year.
  • The annual bill fluctuates with energy prices, and the State recouped roughly €4.5–5 billion during the 2022–2023 price surge under payback provisions.
  • Support contracts typically run about 20 years and guarantee tariffs above wholesale prices, with reimbursements triggered when market prices exceed reference levels.
  • The Court recommends a CRE-led audit, a public dashboard tracking supported technologies, contract revision clauses, and tighter controls to counter suspected fraud.
  • The government has tasked Jean‑Bernard Lévy and Thierry Tuot with proposing ways to reduce the fiscal burden, with the mission under way and a report expected by late March.