Decarbonisation in France: “We tend to overlook the ‘price’ compass”
In this interview conducted by Opéra Energy, Xavier Blot, Associate Professor and Director of the MSc in Management of Energy Transition at emlyon business school, focuses on French energy policy, long-term planning, and the challenges of electrifying energy uses.
Energy transition and electrification: the central role of price
Xavier Blot reminds us that electricity lies at the heart of public and political debate:
“Electricity is first and foremost about household bills… Yet the technical details are incomprehensible to most people.”
According to him, France is suffering from overly slow electrification despite excess production capacity, creating major challenges for the energy transition. The key guiding principle should be the competitive price of electricity, steering both investment and consumption decisions:
“All scenarios point to growth in electricity use, yet this is not reflected in reality.”
The PPE: a necessity to plan and secure investments
The Multiannual Energy Programme (PPE) is the key instrument for ensuring a long-term energy strategy, reducing market risk and guiding investment decisions in nuclear and renewable energy:
“The PPE is prescriptive for the first five years and indicative for the following five… From there, stakeholders can establish cost assumptions and develop an industrial strategy.”
Trade-offs and political gridlock
Xavier Blot highlights that France is at a strategic crossroads, with renewables reaching maturity and a highly polarised political debate:
“Part of the right swears only by nuclear power, while part of the left is exclusively pro-renewables.”
These tensions largely explain the delay of PPE3 and illustrate the need for a long-term vision to ensure decarbonisation and the country’s energy security.
🔎 Educational focus – Decarbonisation and energy planning with the MSc in Management of Energy Transitions
The MSc in Management of Energy Transition, directed by Xavier Blot and Thibaud Voïta, trains professionals capable of:
- analysing energy policies and planning mechanisms such as the PPE,
- understanding trade-offs between nuclear power, renewables, and electricity costs,
- managing strategic investments in an uncertain and regulated environment,
- linking energy transition issues with consumer behaviour.
The analysis of French political deadlocks and strategic choices provides a concrete case study emblematic of the issues addressed throughout the MET programme.