Ninth solar tender sees price drop

The ninth round of the ground solar tender saw a significant drop in prices, with an average weighted price of 61.33 euros per megawatt-hour (€/MWh), according to the CRE deliberation of September 17. This represents a decrease of 18 euros per megawatt-hour compared to the previous session.

High number of applications received

The tender received 731 applications for a total of 5,400 peak megawatts (MWc), far exceeding the 925 MWc requested. Out of this, 125 projects were selected for a total of 931 MWc.

Major companies dominate selection

The concentration of selected projects was notable, with companies like Reden, Mexens, EDF Power Solutions, TSE, and Luxel accounting for 76% of the allocated volumes. EDF, including its subsidiary Luxel, alone accounted for more than a quarter of the session.

Some major firms excluded

Notable absentees included Rubis Photosol and Neoen, with 4.4 GWc of projects remaining unallocated. The Minister of Energy views the low prices as evidence of the sector's competitiveness, while the president of the SER, Jules Nyssen, refers to the situation as "desperate applications."

Rising interest rates raise concerns

With rising interest rates, some industry players question whether all the winners will be able to build at this price. The doubling of the reserved ceiling for agricultural land, raised from 250 to 500 MWc, contributed to the price drop, with an average of 58.5 euros per megawatt-hour for this category.

Hybrid systems now encouraged

For the first time, the hybrid system, which includes the possibility of adding a battery, is encouraged. This allows for shared revenue and connection costs, indirectly enabling photovoltaic projects to bid lower prices.