France moves toward PV self-consumption amid feed-in tariff cuts

The solar energy market in France is changing quickly. In 2024, the French government introduced significant cuts to feed-in tariffs (FITs) – the rates paid to PV system owners for feeding surplus electricity into the grid. The trend has only intensified in 2025.

As of early 2025, PV systems with a capacity of up to 9 kW now receive a feed-in tariff (FIT) of just €0.04/kWh. In stark contrast, the current retail electricity price in France stands at €0.2146/kWh – more than twice the current FIT. It is worth noting that the previous FIT was as high as €0.127/kWh, marking a significant decrease in feed-in compensation.

However, it’s not only the lower payments that concern owners of residential PV systems. With feed-in tariffs updated every three months and prone to volatility, they face increasing uncertainty. As a result, more and more people are informing themselves about ways to increase their PV self-consumption.

At the recent BePositive 2025 trade show in Lyon, which my-PV attended as well as an exhibitor, a clear industry trend emerged: Installers and technology providers are pivoting towards solutions that enable higher self-consumption. Battery storage systems are gaining traction, allowing homeowners to store solar energy for later use. However, battery systems come with a higher upfront investment, which is not always feasible or necessary for every household.

The Smartest Solution: Photovoltaic Heat

Instead of feeding valuable solar power into the grid, it makes much more sense to use it directly on site – for example, for domestic hot water or space heating with photovoltaics.

For those looking for a cost-effective and easy-to-implement solution, my-PV offers an intelligent way to make optimal use of surplus solar power: by converting PV electricity into heat, self-consumption can be significantly increased – up to 70% with an 8 kWp system, and all without the need for battery storage.

Our photovoltaic heating elements use surplus solar energy to heat water directly – either in a boiler or buffer storage tank. The power output is linearly controlled based on the available surplus, maximizing the share of solar power used on site.

The ongoing changes in France’s solar market highlight a broader trend: self-consumption is not just a backup strategy, but the future of PV systems. As feed-in tariffs decline and electricity prices rise, my-PV solutions are helping households get the most out of their photovoltaic systems.