The European Commission (EC) has approved a €30.5bn scheme of the French government to support the production of electricity from renewable energy sources in the country.
The regulator ruled that the aid is essential for further developing renewable energy generation to address the environmental goals of France.
Granting the approval under the European Union (EU) state aid rules, the EC said that the measure will help the country meet its renewable energy targets without unduly disrupting competition.
The EC said that the French scheme will play a part in helping Europe achieve its goal of climate neutrality by 2050.
The French scheme is designed to help promote installations of solar, wind and hydroelectric power facilities. Operators of such projects will get grants from the French government by taking part in competitive tenders.
The measure will have seven types of tenders for a total of 34GW of new renewables capacity. The tenders, which are planned to be held between 2021 and 2026, include solar on the ground, solar on buildings, onshore wind, hydropower installations, innovative solar, self-consumption and a technology-neutral tender.
According to the EC, the scheme will be open till 2026. The aid will be paid out by the French government for a maximum period of 20 years after linking the new renewable installation to the grid.