Aggregate solar PV installations for France at the end of March 2022 reached 14.56 GW with Q1/2022 accounting for 484 MW representing a decline of over 34% over previous year's 736 MW, attributed to lower volume of larger solar power systems.
Out of total installed capacity of 14.56 GW, 14.11 GW is located in Mainland France with the rest contributing 450 MW.
According to the Données et Etudes Statistiques or Data and Statistical Studies Department (SDES) under the Ministry of Energy, system sizes of less than 9 kW represent 86% of newly connected units during the reporting quarter while system sizes of more than 250 kW represent less than 1% of new connections.
Of the newly connected capacity, 65% of the total came up in the regions of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Occitanie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.
Solar PV production during the quarter added up to 3.2 TWh, having increased from 2.4 TWh in Q1/2021. Overall, it now represents 2.2% of the national electricity consumption.
SDES says the capacity in the queue has increased by 16% since the start of this year to a total of 13.4 GW of which 2.9 GW has a signed connection agreement.
France touched 14 GW cumulative capacity at the end of 2021. By 2050, the country aims to report 100 GW cumulative capacity (see Cumulative French PV Capacity Now 14 GW).