France has adopted new regulations that will further promote the use of parking lot PV. Since 2022, it has been mandatory in France to install parking lot PV on parking lots with at least 80 spaces. Now, a new provision has been adopted that includes detailed specifications for calculating the relevant areas, exemptions and penalties for non-compliance.
Decree no. 2024-1023 explicitly regulates the size of the parking lots concerned: From 1,500 square meters, parking lots are subject to the parking lot PV requirement – regardless of whether they are new or existing parking lots. The provision also sets deadlines: Parking lots larger than 10,000 square meters must have solar roofs by July 1, 2026, those between 1,500 to 10,000 square meters by July 1, 2028. France is therefore expecting a massive increase in parking lot PV.
The regulations require that solar roofs or green canopies cover at least half of the parking lot, including parking aisles. Failure to comply can result in annual fines of up to 40,000 euros. Parking lots with unsuitable ground, potential hazards, or hazardous goods transportation are exempted.
The requirement for parking lot PV is prompting many French companies to take action: The supermarket chain Carrefour is currently installing 350 solar carports on the parking lots of its stores. They are expected to produce up to 450 gigawatt hours of solar power per year, which Carrefour will use to power its supermarkets – a step towards complete climate neutrality, which the company wants to achieve by 2030. The canopies will also protect the 180,000 parking spaces from the elements, making the stores more attractive to customers. The first installations will be connected to the grid in 2025, Carrefour expects at least half of the projects to be completed by 2026.
Parking lot PV and PV carports will play a prominent role at Intersolar Europe 2025. Project developers and suppliers of mounting and comprehensive solutions will showcase the latest developments in this booming market.
