Solar panels will cover all large car parking lots in France. It’s new legislation as part of President Emmanuel Macron’s renewable energy drive. This week’s legislation approved by the French Senate requires existing and new car parks with space for at least 80 vehicles to be covered by solar panels.
The owners of car parks with between 80 and 400 spaces have five years to comply with the measures. Operators of those with more than 400 will have just three years. At least half of the area of the larger sites must be covered by solar panels. The French government believes the measure could generate up to 11 gigawatts of power.
Originally politicians were applying the bill to car parks larger than 27,000 square feet. Now, they are deciding to opt for car parking spaces. Politicians in France are also examining proposals to build large solar farms on empty land by motorways and railways as well as on farmland.
