Is solar worth it in France?

Yes, especially in southern France. PACA (Marseille, 5.2 PSH) and Occitanie (Toulouse, 4.8 PSH) offer 7–9 year payback periods. Even Paris (3.8 PSH) achieves 10–12 years with Prime autoconsommation subsidies. The 10% TVA réduite and guaranteed €0.13/kWh surplus tariff (20-year contract) make French solar economics attractive.

What is the Prime autoconsommation in France?

The Prime autoconsommation is a subsidy paid by EDF OA to homeowners who install solar panels and sell surplus to the grid. For systems ≤3 kWc: €390/kWc. For 3–9 kWc: €290/kWc. Paid over 5 years. Apply via guichet-solaire.maison-et-solutions.fr before grid connection.

What TVA rate applies to solar in France?

Residential solar systems ≤36 kWc installed in homes over 2 years old qualify for 10% TVA réduite (reduced VAT) instead of the standard 20%. This applies to panels, inverters, batteries, and installation. Your RGE-certified installer must apply the 10% rate on the invoice.

What is the obligation d'achat tariff for solar surplus?

The obligation d'achat (OA) tariff is currently €0.13/kWh for surplus solar energy sold to EDF OA. This rate is guaranteed for 20 years from your contract signature date. Self-consumption savings (€0.2276/kWh) are more valuable than surplus sales, so maximizing autoconsommation improves ROI.

What is the Éco-PTZ for solar panels?

The Éco-Prêt à Taux Zéro (Éco-PTZ) is a zero-interest government loan up to €50,000 for energy renovation including solar panels and batteries. Available for primary residences over 2 years old. Apply through participating banks before starting work. Repayable over up to 20 years.

🇫🇷 Solar Calculator France

Enter your monthly electricity bill and region — get solar system size, Prime autoconsommation subsidy, obligation d'achat surplus income, Éco-PTZ financing info, and payback period.

Vos données électriques

Facture électrique mensuelle?

€EUR

Région?

Taille du système?

Ajouter batterie?

Résultats — Solaire France

3 kWc — 1110 kWh/kWc/an

Consommation mensuelle estimée351 kWh/mois

Production solaire annuelle3 329 kWh/an

Économies autoconsommation€265/an

Revente surplus (obligation d'achat €0.13/kWh)€281/an

Bénéfice annuel total€546/an

Coût installation (HT: €3 600–€5 400)€3 960–€5 940 TTC (10% TVA)

Prime autoconsommation EDF OA-€1 170

Coût total net€3 780

Période de retour6.9 ans

Économies nettes sur 25 ans€9 881

Prime autoconsommation: €1 170 versée par EDF OA sur 5 ans. Demande via guichet-solaire.maison-et-solutions.fr avant raccordement. Systèmes ≤3 kWc: €390/kWc • 3–9 kWc: €290/kWc.

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How to Use the France Solar Calculator

Enter your monthly electricity bill in euros, select your region (which sets the peak sun hours), choose a system size in kWc, and optionally add a battery. Results update instantly — you'll see annual production, Prime autoconsommation subsidy, obligation d'achat surplus income, payback period, and 25-year savings.

Solar in France — Key Numbers 2026

Peak sun hours: 3.3 PSH (Lille) to 5.2 PSH (Marseille) — southern France rivals Spain for irradiance
System cost: €1,200–€1,800/kWc HT + 10% TVA réduite = €1,320–€1,980/kWc TTC
Electricity price: ~€0.2276/kWh tarif réglementé EDF (TRVe base 2026)
Surplus tariff: €0.13/kWh obligation d'achat EDF OA (fixed 20 years)
Typical payback: 8–12 years depending on region and self-consumption rate

Prime Autoconsommation (EDF OA Subsidy)

The Prime autoconsommation is a one-time grant paid over 5 years by EDF OA for systems that sell surplus to the grid:

≤3 kWc: €390/kWc (e.g., 3 kWc = €1,170 total)
3–9 kWc: €290/kWc (e.g., 6 kWc = €1,740 total)
9–36 kWc: €160/kWc
36–100 kWc: €80/kWc

Apply via guichet-solaire.maison-et-solutions.fr before grid connection. You'll need a certified installer (RGE QualiPV) and Enedis grid connection approval (S24 procedure for ≤3 kWc).

Obligation d'Achat — Surplus Sale Rate

Under the obligation d'achat (OA) contract, Enedis measures your surplus production and EDF OA buys it at €0.13/kWh for 20 years. This rate is guaranteed at signing — future rate changes don't affect your contract. Self-consumption savings (€0.2276/kWh) are 75% more valuable than surplus sale, so maximizing autoconsommation is key.

Éco-PTZ — Zero-Rate Loan for Solar

The Éco-Prêt à Taux Zéro (Éco-PTZ) allows financing solar panels plus battery storage with zero interest, up to €50,000, for primary residences over 2 years old. Apply through any participating bank before installation. Repayable over up to 20 years. When combined with Prime autoconsommation, the effective cost of a solar system drops significantly.

Calculation Formula

Annual production (kWh) = System kWc × PSH × 365 × 0.80 (system efficiency)
Self-consumed kWh = Annual production × self-consumption rate (35% no battery, 65% with battery)
Annual savings = Self-consumed kWh × €0.2276 + Exported kWh × €0.13
System cost TTC = System kWc × (€1,200–1,800) × 1.10 (10% TVA)
Net cost = System cost + Battery cost − Prime autoconsommation
Payback = Net cost ÷ Annual savings

Worked Example — Lyon 6 kWc

Lyon (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes): 4.2 PSH. System: 6 kWc at €1,500/kWc HT.

Annual production: 6 × 4.2 × 365 × 0.80 = 7,358 kWh/yr
Self-consumed (35%): 2,575 kWh → €586/yr saved
Surplus (65%): 4,783 kWh → €0.13 × 4,783 = €622/yr
Total benefit: €1,208/yr
System cost: 6 × €1,500 × 1.10 = €9,900 TTC
Prime autoconsommation: 6 × €290 = −€1,740
Net cost: €8,160
Payback: 8,160 ÷ 1,208 = 6.8 years
25-year savings: €1,208 × 25 − €8,160 = €21,940

FAQ

L'énergie solaire est-elle rentable en France ?

Oui, surtout dans le Sud. PACA (5.2 PSH) et Occitanie (4.8 PSH) offrent des retours sur investissement de 7–9 ans. Même en Ile-de-France (3.8 PSH), le retour est de 10–12 ans avec la Prime autoconsommation. La TVA réduite à 10% depuis 2024 améliore encore la rentabilité.

Quelle TVA s'applique au solaire en France ?

10% TVA réduite pour les systèmes solaires résidentiels ≤36 kWc installés dans des logements de plus de 2 ans. Les systèmes dans des logements neufs ou >36 kWc sont soumis au taux normal de 20%. Votre installateur RGE doit le mentionner sur la facture.

Combien de temps dure la procédure de raccordement Enedis ?

Pour les systèmes ≤3 kWc en procédure S24, le délai est de 2–5 semaines. Pour les systèmes 3–36 kWc en procédure S10, comptez 2–3 mois. Le contrat d'achat avec EDF OA prend 1–2 mois supplémentaires après raccordement.

Puis-je installer des panneaux solaires sans autorisation ?

Les systèmes ≤3 kWc en toiture n'ont généralement pas besoin de permis de construire mais doivent être déclarés à la mairie (déclaration préalable) en zone réglementée (ABF, PLU). Au-delà de 3 kWc, une déclaration préalable est requise dans la plupart des communes. Un installateur RGE gère ces démarches.

Qu'est-ce que la procédure S24 et S10 ?

S24 (simplifiée) concerne les systèmes ≤3 kWc — raccordement en 4–6 semaines. S10 concerne les systèmes 3–36 kWc — délai plus long avec étude Enedis. Les deux nécessitent un installateur RGE certifié et la conformité aux normes C15-712.

Related Calculators

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