France mandates solar panels for large parking lots by 2026
France has implemented regulations requiring the installation of photovoltaic panels on large parking lots. The new law applies to both existing and newly constructed parking lots.
Large parking lots, with an area exceeding 16,000 square feet, must be equipped with photovoltaic installations, known as carports. This requirement results from a decree introduced by the French government. The regulations cover both new and existing parking lots. Managers of lots with a capacity of 80-400 cars have five years (until 2028) to comply, while owners of parking lots with a capacity of more than 400 cars have only three years (until 2026).
Failure to install the panels within the designated timeframe will result in fines of 50 euros per parking space for each month of delay. The fine for smaller parking lots is a minimum of 5,000 euros per day, and for larger ones, it starts at 20,000 euros daily (totaling over 600,000 euros monthly), which could significantly burden budgets.
An important requirement is that at least half of the parking lot's area be covered with solar panels. Exemptions are made for parking lots intended for trucks weighing more than 8 tons and those located in historical city centers. The new regulations have advantages: The solar panel canopies will provide shade for vehicles, protecting them from overheating on hot days.
France aims to increase solar energy capacity tenfold
The introduction of regulations governing the installation of photovoltaics in parking lots aligns with President Emmanuel Macron's plan to increase solar energy production in the country tenfold. The French government estimates that the new regulations will allow for the generation of up to 11 GW of additional renewable power, equivalent to about 10 nuclear reactors.
A Mickey Mouse-shaped solar farm
The use of carports is also a strategy adopted by giants such as Bentley Motors and Disneyland Paris. Bentley completed a project in 2019 in the United Kingdom for 1,378 parking spaces with 10,000 panels generating 2.7 MW, which is expected to cover 24 percent of the company's energy needs and reduce CO2 emissions.
Disneyland Paris will complete another solar power plant this year on a huge parking lot for over 11,000 vehicles, which will be covered with 82,000 photovoltaic panels, producing 36 GWh of energy annually—equivalent to the consumption of a city with 17,400 inhabitants.
An interesting fact is that the Walt Disney Company can already boast a Mickey Mouse-shaped solar farm in Epcot, Florida, United States. The entire investment consists of 48,000 solar panels spread over 22 acres. From a bird's-eye view, the installation resembles Mickey Mouse.
