French solar industry taking off

An article published by Reuters describes a current upswing in the French solar industry.

The European Union is offering incentives to encourage the installation of solar arrays. France is taking a particular interest in the possibilities of solar energy and hopes to compete with Germany as a world leader. A growing group of French farmers is enrolling in the plan and installing solar arrays on their farms.

Jean-Luc Westphal is the owner of one of the largest integrated photovoltaic systems ever built. An integrated system is distinguished because they are built into existing structures, rather than added on. Westphal constructed five large sheds roofed with 36,000 square meters of solar panels.

The installation has a capacity of 4.5 megawatts, which is approximately enough energy to power 4,000 homes. His enormous investment (€20 million) is backed by a long-term "feed-in" plan with the French government. Westphal hopes to generate about €2 million euro per year on electricity sales.

In America, discussion of renewable energy often focuses on the issue of responsibility: who should be the leader? Government or private industry? Currently, private industry is taking the lead, but the French example may help change that. By setting specific goals for increasing the solar capacity of the nation, as well as offering incentives to install solar panels, the French government has already doubled their capacity since 2006. This is a case in which a strong position by the government has increased confidence levels in the people (and the banks that are investing in private solar arrays). As the US congress moves to tackle energy they should take a good look at France.