The Data and Statistical Studies (SDES) of France has announced 182 MW of new solar power capacity was added in Q1/2020, taking the country's cumulative installations to 10.07 GW of which 9.49 GW is installed in mainland France. That means France has in total about a fifth of the installed PV capacity of Germany and less than what the US installs per year.
Additions of 182 MW in the first 3 months of 2020 reflects hardly growth from 170 MW installed a year back. Of the new installations, smaller installations of less than 9 kW represent close to 85% of newly connected units.
Solar power generation in Q1/2020 amounted to 2.3 TWh increase of 3% compared to 2.2 TWh in Q1/2019, with the increase attributed to good sunshine. Altogether, solar power production till March 2020 represented 1.7% of total French electricity consumption. In Q4/2019, the country installed 236 MW of new capacity.
Last month, France Territoire Solaire pegged French Q1/2020 solar installations at 176 MW in Mainland France.