Renewable Electricity in France: Green Suppliers and Offers in 2021
Living in France and looking to reduce your environmental footprint? Switching to a renewable energy supplier can be both good for the environment and for your wallet! Find out more about renewable energy options in our guide to renewable energy suppliers in France.
What is green energy?
Green energy is an energy produced from renewable sources, such as hydroelectricity, wind, biomass and solar energy. Once it is injected into the French energy network, it is impossible to physically distinguish it from other types of energy and thus to trace it to the final consumer. Renewable electricity is therefore mixed in the system with energy produced from other sources (nuclear power for instance).
Therefore, the supply of green electricity in France is based on a principle of equivalence. Regardless of its sources of supply, the energy supplier puts out the guarantee to its consumers that, somewhere in Europe, an equivalent amount of energy, generated renewably, has been produced.
Millions of French households are now switching over to these types of energy offers, which, surprisingly, are often quite competitive and set at cheaper rates than the regulated tariffs. Indeed, cheaper electricity provider are numerous, including among green electricity providers. As you will discover below, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to environment-friendly energy deals in France.
Renewable energy offers in France
Most electricity and gas providers in France offer green energy deals today. Below is a presentation of the main offers on the market in France today, as of 2019.
| Supplier | Price of subscription (before tax) | Price per kWh (before tax) | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
.png "total spring") | Identical to the regulated tariffs | - % discount compared to the regulated tariffs | One of the main renewable energy providers in France, with a fixed price guaranteed for 1 year. Voted Customer Service of the Year 2019. |
| Identical to the regulated tariffs | - % discount compared to the regulated tariffs | The 100% Online & Green offer is particularly good value. |
 | More expensive than the regulated tariffs | Cheaper than the regulated tariffs | The price per kWh is indexed to the EPEX market rather than to the EDF regulated tariffs. |
| More expensive than the regulated tariffs | A lot cheaper than the regulated tariffs | Ilek puts forward platform for sale and purchase of electricity directly from supplier to consumer. It offfers wind, photovoltaic and hydraulic energy. |
| Identical to the regulated tariffs | More expensive than the regulated tariffs | The price per kWh is fixed and can be revised downwards overtime. |
| - % discount with the Petite Conso offer | - % discount with the Petite Conso offer | Innovative offers, with deals specifically designed for Linky meters and a customised consumer tracking. |
| Identical to the regulated tariffs | - % discount compared to the regulated tariffs | Plüm is committed to double the energy savings made by is clients by converting to euros. |
| More texpensive than the regulated tariffs with the Base option | - % discount compared to the regulated tariffs | This green offer is available online only. |
| Identical to the regulated tariffs | - % discount compared to the regulated tariffs | Comes with an app which allows you to track your live consumption. |
| Identical to the regulated tariffs | - % discount compared to the regulated tariffs | Not as good value as its competitors. |
| - % discount compared to the regulated tariffs. | Identical to the regulated tariffs | Offers self-consumption solutions for professionals. |
| More expensive than the regulated tariffs | Cheaper than the regulated tariffs | A group of hydropower producers offering electricity at competitive prices. |
| Identical to the regulated tariffs | - % discount compared to the regulated tariffs | Renewable electricity produced in the South of France. |
| Identical to the regulated tariffs | - % discount compared to the regulated tariffs | Adds discounts to your Leclerc loyalty card. |
 | Identical to the regulated tariffs | No guaranteed reduction compared to the regulated tariffs | Comes with prices fixed over 1 or 2 years. |
| Identical to the regulated tariffs | More or less expensive than the regulated tariffs, depending on the month. | Not one of the most competitive offers, but comes with a high-tech connected station. |
 | More expensive than the regulated tariffs | Cheaper than the regulated tariffs | A small but attractive energy producer. |
 | More expensive than the regulated tariffs | More expensive than the regulated tariffs | Enercoop is a militant choice of provider. It works out more expensive than most providers, but in exchange, Enercoop gets its electricity supplies directly from local producers and helps them sustain their activity. |
 | More expensive than the regulated tariffs | More expensive than the regulated tariffs | The historical provider EDF now offers a 100% green electricity plan. It isn't however among the cheapest offers on the French market. |
Need help finding which of these green offers will be right for your needs and budget? It may be hard to choose your supplier and offer, with so many options on the market. Our Selectra English-speaking advisors are here to assist you in finding the right deal. Call them for free today at 09 87 67 37 93, or get a free callback.
The main French green energy suppliers
Each provider has its own philosophy, way of functioning and preferred type of energy they rely on. Find out more how each of them operate below.
Total Direct Energie
Founded after the fusion of Total Spring and Direct Energie, Total Direct Energie entered the French market in 2019, and specializes in wind and solar energy. Its green electricity supply offer is sourced 100% from renewable sources, and comes with a lifetime guarantee of being 2% less than the pre-tax EDF regulated tariffs per kWh rate.
Total Direct Energie's electricity supply is guaranteed 100% renewable through the guarantee of origin system, through which the supplier purchases renewable energy certificates on behalf of its customers. More about the Total Direct Energie Customer Service in this guide.
EDF
EDF is the historic and largest electricity supplier in France, and is the only supplier that can offer regulated rates, namely the tarif bleu. In November, 2015, EDF launched a renewable electricity option for residential customers. This is a commercial offer, meaning that its rates are set by EDF and not regulated by public authorities (as is the case with the regulated tariffs). EDF's base rate for its renewable energy plan is € per kWh.
EDF's renewable energy is based on the guarantee of origin system, meaning that EDF purchases renewable energy credits on behalf of their renewable energy customers that match their electricity consumption, thereby "compensating" for their electricity consumption. EDF is also the provider in France of the Smartflower, a photovoltaic device that allows you to produce your own solar energy and even resell it if you wish to.
ENGIE
Engie is the historic supplier for natural gas in France, but also offers electricity at commercial rates (not regulated). Formerly GDF Suez, the company rebranded as Engie in 2015, Engie offers both green electricity and green natural gas supply options. Engie's Elec Verte is a fixed price offer with electricity sourced by hydroelectric facilities owned by Engie. Engie's Gaz Vert option offers carbon compensated gas supply.
Engie owns the hydroelectric generation plants that produce its renewable electricity, which is also certified by the guarantee of origin system. Engie also offers free energy efficiency tips through its Cap EcoConso service, which can help customers reduce up to 8% of their energy consumption.
Enercoop
Enercoop works differently from other energy suppliers in France, and is the only cooperative that exists to promote the development of renewable electricity in France. Enercoop's rates are fixed, and are based on the cost of production, rather than on market prices.
Instead of relying on the guarantee of origin system, Enercoop members produce electricity directly for the benefit of the cooperative. This includes energy from hydropower, wind farms, solar power, and biomass facilities.
Alterna
Created in 2005 by the grouping of several local distribution companies, Alterna offers electricity and gas supply, as well as green energy, for residential and business customers. Alterna's green electricity plan is more expensive than the EDF regulated tariffs.
Ranking Green Supplier Options - which supplier is greener?
All the providers mentioned above guarantee you, through their green offers, that they will invest an equivalent amount of renewable energy alongside your consumption. But while this is already a great environment-friendly gesture, when looking at dedication to promoting renewable electricity that is truly green, Ilek and Enercoop stand out amongst all other electricity suppliers in France.
On the one hand, Ilek enables you to directly choose your local provider of choice, meaning you are completely in charge of who supplies you and in the know of exactly where your energy is sourced. Indeed, Ilek acts as an intermediary between a community of independent green energy producers and consumers wishing to find a green and local source of electricity.
In order to ensure producers earn stable and decent revenues, Ilek sets the price of subscription a little higher than that of the EDF regulated tariffs, but on the flip side, the provider a very advantageous price per kWh.
Every year, during the Prix Selectra, Selectra gives out awards to French energy providers in different categories, one of which being the Greenest Energy Provider. Selectra evaluates providers on a wide range of criteria, and attributes a score out of 100 to each.
On the other hand, as the only cooperative in France to sell electricity, Enercoop is the single supplier in France to offer electricity actually produced by its members. It is a social enterprise, meaning its profits are reinvested into the structure, in order to further develop renewable energy production in France.
Sign up for a French green energy offer today! Call Selectra at 09 87 67 37 93 or get a free callback to sign up for an electricity or gas plan with a renewable energy supplier in France which will suit your needs and your budget.
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