Fossil Fuel Plans: France Needs Green Energy Procurement

Article Sustainability Fossil Fuel Plans: France Needs Green Energy Procurement By Georgia Collins May 07, 2026 undefined mins Share Share Emmanuel Macron stressed the importance of global cooperation in his special address at Davos 2026. Credit: World Economic Forum/Valeriano Di Domenico France’s move from fossil fuels creates massive procurement needs in green energy and nuclear as the nation targets 66 to 72% emission cuts by 2035 France's transition away from fossil fuels will create substantial procurement opportunities across renewable energy , nuclear infrastructure and decarbonisation technology. The country has committed to the European Union's target of a 66.25% to 72.5% reduction in emissions by 2035 compared to 1990 levels, requiring a fundamental reshaping of energy sourcing strategies. Since adopting the Paris Agreement in 2015, France has worked to decarbonise its economy. The 27 Member States aim to ensure the European energy sector becomes largely free of fossil fuels before 2050. France's procurement challenge is substantial. According to the country's energy data for 2023, fossil fuels accounted for less than 60% of final energy consumption, down from 65% in 2011. The country imports more than 95% of its fossil fuels, which account for 65% of France's greenhouse gas emissions. This dependency creates both a sourcing vulnerability and an opportunity to redirect procurement spending towards domestic and European low-carbon alternatives. Special Address by Emmanuel Macron, President of France | World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 Current fossil fuel sourcing France's fossil fuel supply chain is almost entirely import-dependent. Oil accounts for 38% of final energy consumption in 2024, with 66% used in transport. According to France's energy statistics, the country produces only 1.7% of its oil consumption. Fossil gas accounted for 19% of final consumption in 2024. The largest shares are in industry at 36%, residential buildings at 37% and tertiary buildings at 20%. Coal represents less than 1% of final consumption, with all supplies imported. "We exported, last year, 93TWh of electricity and low-carbon one based on the nuclear model," said Emmanuel Macron, President of France, at the World Economic Forum's Davos 2026 event. Emmanuel added that France has "world-class innovation and research capabilities" and "one of the most vivid and active ecosystems in artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, energy transition and a lot of start-ups, unicorns and large caps of these sectors." President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron addresses MEPs in plenary session in Strasbourg. Credit: European Parliament Climate plan procurement implications France's 2017 Climate Plan introduced legislation to phase out hydrocarbon production in France by 2040. The legislation aims to end the granting of new exploration permits and not renew existing exploitation concessions. According to the plan's outcomes, fossil fuel consumption in buildings fell by 42% between 2017 and 2022. This reduction required procurement teams to source alternative heating systems and energy efficiency technologies. The Climate Plan aims to accelerate the electrification of the transport  sector, setting an end-of-sale target for thermal passenger vehicles by 2040. This transition will require procurement of electric vehicle infrastructure, charging networks and fleet replacement across public and private sectors. France has set a National Low Carbon Strategy outlining a roadmap to achieve its climate goals, aiming for a 50% reduction in gross greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels and carbon neutrality by 2050. The third edition of the strategy highlights plans to strengthen France's energy sovereignty and transition away from fossil fuels. It sets end-of-consumption targets for coal by 2030, oil by 2045 and fossil gas by 2050. "Electricity demand is growing," said Aurélien Hamelle, President, Strategy & Sustainability at TotalEnergies, at the Sustainability & Climate 2026 Progress Report presentation. "Renewable energy supply is growing very much; that's the fastest-growing energy." Aurélien noted that gas is growing steadily at 2.3%, and oil demand is growing at the same pace as the population. Aurélien Hamelle, President, Strategy & Sustainability at TotalEnergies Sector-specific procurement requirements France has broken down its climate goals by sector, creating distinct milestones for each. By 2030, France aims for 66% of new car sales to be electric and for public transport to increase by 25%. This target will require procurement teams across national and local government to source electric buses, trains and supporting infrastructure. Private sector fleet managers will face similar requirements. The strategy aims to decarbonise industry, involving France's 50 largest industrial sites. These sites will require procurement of low-carbon energy sources, energy efficiency equipment and process transformation technologies. As part of the strategy, an 85% reduction in oil-fired boilers in tertiary buildings and 60% reduction in the residential sector are targeted. The plan includes phasing out fossil oil for heating by 2035, creating procurement opportunities for heat pump manufacturers, biomass heating systems and building retrofit specialists. France aims to increase decarbonised production via renewable energy, nuclear power, hydrogen, biogas and alternative fuels. To help achieve sovereignty, France aims to reach 15GW of installed offshore wind power by 2035. According to the National Low Carbon Strategy, France targets a threefold increase in installed solar photovoltaic capacity by 2035. The country aims to increase installed hydropower by 2.8GW. France plans to deploy up to 8GW of electrolysers to produce green hydrogen by 2035. The strategy includes increasing biomethane production by sixfold by 2035. These targets represent substantial procurement contracts for wind turbine manufacturers, solar panel suppliers, electrolyser technology providers and biogas infrastructure developers. France is the leading European producer of electricity. According to France's energy data for 2024, 95% of electricity production came from renewable and nuclear sources. This already-decarbonised electricity mix positions France to export low-carbon power to neighbouring countries. However, achieving the 2035 targets will require procurement teams to source renewable energy technologies at scale. France's procurement landscape will transform as the country implements its National Low Carbon Strategy. The transition creates opportunities for suppliers of renewable energy equipment, energy efficiency technologies and low-carbon industrial processes. Company portals TotalEnergies Executives Aurélien Hamelle President, Strategy & Sustainability Tags Sustainability Energy EV Net Zero Decarbonisation Renewable