Individuals or business owners in France: Here is what you should know about the French government’s energy savings scheme proposal
In October 2022, the French government unveiled 15 creative ways for individuals and organizations to reduce their energy bill in the current social context in Europe.
Some of the measures apply to individuals and organizations, some are specific to businesses and public establishments. Others apply to public transportation, cultural and sports sector, territorial collectivities.
The government offers tax incentives and grants to help individuals reduce their energy usage. The measures can be divided into five main categories. How to:
- Better reduce energy waste and encourage energy savings.
- Better adjust, adapt, and deploy energy management systems.
- Better raise awareness and implement existing systems to support sustainable mobility in companies.
- Rethink the organization of work in a constructive way to save energy.
- Plan a teleworking organization for emergency situations.
MEASURES THAT APPLY TO ALL SECTORS OF ACTIVITY
Consume less energy in all residential properties, schools, businesses, or public establishments.
The heating in your office should be set at 19 degrees Celsius (°C) maximum. The AC should be set at 26°C. Think about lowering the temperature to 16°C at night or to 8°C when the building has been closed for more than three days.
Postpone the start and end of the heating period by 15 days, when possible and when the outside temperature allows it.
Reduce the use of domestic hot water in offices to the extent possible. The managers may stop the domestic hot water when appropriate with the exception of situations where the use of hot water is necessary (taking a shower, etc.)
Here is a list of five gestures that could save you energy during this winter and overtime. You must:
- Set your heating to a maximum of 19°C.
- Set your water heater to 55°C and spend less time in the shower.
- Turn off all your devices that are on or on standby when you’re not using them.
- Shift the use of your electrical appliances outside peak periods (from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.).
- Install a programmable thermostat.
Design a simpler, more economical mobility for all
Promote carpooling with a bonus point for any new carpooler who registers on a platform. In addition, you should take the train instead of the plane for professional trips of less than 4 hours. Lastly, you should take the train and public transportation instead of the car whenever possible.
THE MAIN ENERGY SAVING IDEAS BY SECTOR
An exemplary government
- Reduce heating from 19°C to 18°C and work on staggered hours the days of high electricity demand when the ÉcoWatt signal is red.
- Encourage teleworking to reduce mainly fuel consumption. To help civil servants deal with the energy prices increase, the government will increase their allowance for teleworking by 15% from the beginning of 2023. This is to make up for the energy prices increase.
- Reduce the speed limit to 110 km per hour on the highway for public servants who are using their business car for non-urgent professional trips.
Businesses
Businesses must do any of the followings:
- Appoint or create in each establishment an ambassador or referent for energy savings. This person will be responsible for the day-to-day management, routine advice, monitoring of the measures that were taken.
- Better fight against waste and encourage energy savings.
- Better adjust, adapt, and deploy energy management systems. Example: replacement of the materials and equipment, low-consumption lighting.
- Better raise awareness and implement existing systems to support sustainable mobility in companies.
- Rethink the organization of work in a constructive way to save energy.
- Plan a teleworking organization for emergency situations.
Your business may enroll in the 15 actions plan at « les entreprises s’engagent ». This website lists businesses that commit to adopt this 15-action plan. The government supports them in the implementation process: turn off the interior lighting of buildings when no one is inside, lower the outdoor lighting, especially advertising lighting, and turn it off no later than 1:00 AM, control heating, air conditioning and ventilation or even group trips and eliminate unnecessary ones.
The culture and sports sector
- Reduce the lighting time before and after games by almost half for day-time games and by more than 30% for evening games. This was made possible thanks to the commitment of the Ligue de football professional (Professional Soccer League), the Ligue nationale de rugby (National rugby league), professional clubs and TV broadcasters.
Territorial collectivities
- Reduce electricity consumption related to public lighting, which on average accounts for 30% of a territorial collectivity electricity spending.
- Reduce the heating of sport equipment by lowering the temperature of gymnasiums by 2°C and the temperature of water in swimming pools by 1°C as the Association nationale des élus du sport (national association of elected sports officials) recommends.
- Reduce the number of heated square feet by grouping public services in the most suitable premises, even if it means using them over longer time slots.
Sectors with no specific suggestions
The government has no specific suggestions for the following sectors:
- Establishments open to the public, tertiary and commercial activities
- The industrial sector
- The housing sector
- The transportation sector
- The digital industry
If you operate in any of these sectors, you should refer to the proposals that apply to all sectors.
HOW THE GOVERNMENT SUPPORT THE FRENCH PEOPLE
Financial aid
There are several financial measures to:
- Help you move towards more efficient heating systems. For instance, you may qualify for a grant of up to 9,000 euros to switch from a gas boiler to a heat pump in individual housing. If you’re living in a residential or tertiary building, you may qualify for a grant of about EUR250 per apartment to connect your building to a heating network.
- Equip yourself with thermostats: the government offers a grant of about EUR65 per household for the installation of a programmer on an existing boiler.
- Continue the energy renovation of housing: the government set aside EUR2.5 billion in 2023 to finance the MaPrimeRenov’ program that was created in 2020.
In addition, the government initiates the implementation of an energy savings bonus point program to acknowledge energy savings and reduce energy bills. Households that have their energy consumption under control may get discounted gas and electricity bills.
The government plans on keeping the French people abreast of changes to electricity use (ÉcoWatt signal) in partnership with RTE, through TVs, radios (Something like what France télévisions, TF1 et BFM have been doing).
The energy crisis which is a consequence of the war in Ukraine as well as the climate crisis are prompting the French government to find ways to save energy rather than suffering power cuts. The government’s objective is to reduce energy consumption by 10% by 2024. They would like the public administrations, businesses, collectivities, and the French people to help make it possible.