France has a target of 23% renewable energy in consumption by 2020, with solar power, tax credits and investment in R&D being used to help achieve this objective. However nuclear power will continue to play an important role in France’s energy production; the government has committed to building two next-generation EPR reactors.

 

In the longer term, France has the goal of achieving a 75% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, and key to achieving this will the Grenelle environment programme which covers areas from biodiversity and agriculture to waste management and renewable energy.

Key facts

• Population: 64,057,792
• Surface area (square kms): 547,030
• Population density in 2007 (per square km): 110
• GDP: $2.097 trillion
• CO2 emission estimates per capita (metric tons): 6.2

Energy production

• Electricity (kW-hr; 2004): 572,241,000,000
• Hard coal (metric tons; 2004): 872,00010
• Lignite (metric tons; 2004): none  
• Crude petroleum (barrels; 2005): 7,800,000  
• Petroleum products (metric tons; 2004): 74,910,00011  
• Natural gas (cu m; 2004): 1,374,000,000

Energy consumption

• Electricity (kW-hr; 2004): 510,201,000,000
• Hard coal (metric tons; 2004): 20,780,000
• Lignite (metric tons; 2004): 40,000
• Crude petroleum (barrels; 2004): 631,000,00011
• Petroleum products (metric tons; 2004): 74,274,00011
• Natural gas (cu m; 2004): 49,845,000,000