France 2030, a 50 billion euro investment plan, will benefit a dozen sectors of activity including digital, hydrogen, batteries, space, health and culture. With France 2030, Emmanuel Macron aims to enable France and Europe to regain their independence in the industries and skills of the future. This plan will complement the 100 billion post-covid recovery plan, which concerns measures that will be implemented rapidly.
France 2030 will aim to “build technological players of tomorrow, in digital, in hydrogen, in batteries, in space, in health and culture too”, had explained Emmanuel Macron at the end of September, in a video addressed to the start-ups of the French Tech, gathered at Bercy.
This plan will be in the order of 30 to 50 billion euros, according to government sources.
The 1st projects of green hydrogen
In September 2020, Barbara Pompili, Minister of Ecological Transition, and Bruno Lemaire, Minister of Economy, presented France’s hydrogen strategy and launched the €7 billion Grand Plan Hydrogène. The first projects are taking shape: HDF (Hydrogen France) has announced the financing of its first hydrogen power plant in French Guiana, with the Méridiam group contributing 60% and the Rubis group 30%. Construction is scheduled to begin this fall.
The start-up Lhyfe inaugurated its site of Vendée last Thursday, it is specialized in electrolyses directly connected to wind turbines. It will be able to supply the bus network of Le Mans or La Roche-sur-Yon.
That same day, the National Hydrogen Council was held at the Ministry of Finance. “France must be the world leader in green hydrogen” declared Bruno le Maire who wants to develop hydrogen for heavy transport (public transport…) and decarbonize the industry.
Launch of SMRs or Small Modular Reactors
SMRs are one of the ten technologies selected by the government. As part of the plan to revive the French nuclear industry, SMRs will play a strategic role. Emmanuel Macron revealed that Neward is not the only modular pressurized water nuclear reactor project.
These small reactors would provide a cheaper and faster solution than large plants that are long to build and difficult to finance.
Nuclear power is an essential tool in the race against global warming. In this fight, electricity must weigh from 20 to 40% to reduce carbon emissions.
France is going to be more involved in electric batteries, smart cars, artificial intelligence, new environmental technologies and agriculture. To do this, it needs players in these fields and must therefore train young people in these skills and professions.
Bruno Le Maire hopes for the rapid construction of factories in France. European manufacturers and industrialists no longer want to depend on Asia, a collaboration in the storage of electricity and the production of batteries is a key to the automobile of the future. Thus Stellantis and Total-Saft have joined forces to create ACC and are going to set up their first battery factory in Douvrin in the Pas-de-Calais. Envision, a Chinese group, is also due to set up in the north of France, with the support of Renault. It is waiting for the green light from the National Commission for Public Debate.
Translated from Annonce du plan d’investissement France 2030
