France Solar Tracker Market Overview, 2030

Due to the higher solar irradiance levels that make the use of trackers economically advantageous, the development of the solar tracker market in France has been particularly noticeable in the southern regions, including Occitanie, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, and Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Developers in the sunny areas are increasingly using single-axis trackers to improve project efficiency as the French solar industry grows. One major regional issue that has been specifically addressed through technological adaptations is tracker corrosion in coastal installations. To guarantee longevity and lower maintenance expenses for trackers that are exposed to marine environments, manufacturers have created specialized coatings and corrosion-resistant materials for areas of southern France that are near the Mediterranean coast and have high air salinity. The incorporation of solar trackers into vineyards is another novel trend that is gaining popularity in France. These installations, which are known as agrivoltaics, employ elevated tracker systems that allow for both optimal grape cultivation and solar energy generation. The trackers modify the panel angles to provide partial shading during extreme heat, which helps protect delicate crops. France's larger initiative to integrate renewable energy production with sustainable agriculture is well illustrated by this strategy. Solar farms at the community level that employ trackers are also growing in popularity, especially in semi-rural communities where energy cooperatives and local governments work together. Residents can directly invest in renewable energy infrastructure through these projects while also receiving increased returns due to the utilization of tracking systems. Furthermore, trackers are increasingly being utilized in hybrid solar farms, which combine solar photovoltaic with other renewable sources like wind or biogas, to maximize energy production from available land. These hybrid systems enhance the dependability of the local grid and aid in achieving France's energy transition targets. French solar tracker industry strikes a balance between innovations in coastal durability, agricultural compatibility, and hybrid renewable plans, which makes trackers a vital element of France's growing clean energy infrastructure.

According to the research report, ""France Solar Tracker Market Overview, 2030,"" published by Bonafide Research, the France Solar Tracker market is expected to reach a market size of more than USD 520 Million by 2030. The government incentives and policy initiatives associated with France's renewable energy goals, notably under the framework of the Multiannual Energy Plan (PPE) and the 2030 commitment to source 33% of its energy from renewables, largely underpin this growth path. These national goals, together with regional subsidies for renewable projects, are promoting investments in more sophisticated and efficient solar systems, with trackers playing a crucial role in this optimization approach. France's increasing emphasis on agrivoltaics projects, which mix agriculture with solar power production, is a major market driver. Given the worldwide importance of France's agricultural industry, employing high PV systems with trackers enables the best possible crop protection and output while also generating clean energy. These initiatives support the goals of both energy and agricultural sustainability by enabling France to expand its solar capacity without sacrificing its arable land. TotalEnergies Solar is a major player in the French solar tracker industry. It uses its international expertise to implement massive initiatives both at home and abroad. The firm has made strategic moves in the agrivoltaics area by employing trackers in vineyard and orchard environments, and it has also backed hybrid renewable installations in collaboration with local energy cooperatives and communities. The construction of floating solar projects employing trackers on man-made reservoirs and water bodies is one of the most inventive trends that is attracting attention. The use of trackers in floating solar systems increases energy production by maximizing the angle of incidence throughout the day, while also relieving land-use constraints, especially in areas with high agricultural density. The water's cooling impact, which enhances the efficiency of solar panels, is also a benefit of these floating systems.

The majority of installations in the French solar tracker market are single-axis trackers, especially in the sun-rich southern regions like Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Occitanie, and Nouvelle-Aquitaine. When compared to fixed-tilt systems, these systems, which rotate panels from east to west to follow the sun's path across the sky, often result in a 15–25% increase in energy production. Due to their comparatively lower prices, simpler mechanical structure, and ease of maintenance, they have become the favored option for utility-scale solar farms and, increasingly, for agrivoltaics projects in vineyards and orchards. Single-axis trackers achieve a successful compromise between increased production and reasonable project expenses in areas where land optimization is a high priority. Furthermore, improvements in corrosion-resistant designs have made broader usage possible, even in salt-prone coastal regions. Dual-axis trackers, which can move panels both horizontally and vertically, have, on the other hand, discovered a niche in a few unique uses. These systems are perfect for research labs, demonstration projects, and expensive commercial installations since they can capture 35–40% more solar energy than static systems by maximizing exposure to the sun's movement in both dimensions. Their use in mainstream utility-scale projects throughout France has been restricted, though, due to their higher installation costs, mechanical complexity, and increased maintenance requirements. Dual-axis trackers are typically used in situations where land availability is severely constrained or in installations that aim to combine bifacial panels with trackers in order to maximize production. In France, one developing application for dual-axis trackers is in agrivoltaics systems, especially where accurate seasonal variations in shade are needed to protect delicate crops like grapes or specific orchard fruits. These uses highlight France's leadership in integrating renewable energy production with agricultural productivity.

The majority of the French solar tracker market is dominated by solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, notably crystalline silicon PV modules, which are the foundation of the majority of solar projects in the nation. The main tracking systems utilized with PV plants, particularly in the sunnier regions of southern France, are single-axis trackers. Developers can increase the economic viability of projects by combining PV panels with trackers, which frequently results in a 15–25% increase in power output. Trackers are being used more and more in conjunction with bifacial PV modules, which capture reflected light from the ground and convert it into electricity on both sides of the panel, in order to increase output. France's agrivoltaics initiatives, in which reflective surfaces such vineyard soil may increase rear-side generation, make this especially obvious. PV's dropping cost curve, along with advancements in tracker automation and remote monitoring, has solidified its position as the leading technology in the nation's expanding solar industry. In contrast, France's domestic solar sector has very little to no representation of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). With moderate direct normal irradiance (DNI), France's own climate is not ideal for CSP's requirement of high direct sunlight, despite its worldwide support for CSP development, particularly in areas like North Africa. Consequently, in France, its use with trackers is restricted to academic or demonstration initiatives, and there are no significant CSP projects in the nation. The adoption of concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) technology has been quite restricted. Despite the fact that CPV systems can theoretically achieve greater efficiency by concentrating sunlight onto smaller, high-performance cells, their dependence on direct sunshine and dual-axis tracking renders them unsuitable for France's temperate and occasionally diffuse light conditions.

The majority of applications for solar trackers in France are in ground-mounted solar plants. These installations are frequently found in utility-scale solar farms, particularly in the southern areas of France like Occitanie, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, and Nouvelle-Aquitaine, which benefit from higher solar irradiance. Ground-mounted systems with single-axis trackers are preferred since they can increase energy yields by 15–25% over fixed systems, making them especially advantageous for maximizing the return on investment for large-scale initiatives. Furthermore, in agrivoltaics projects, where solar panels coexist with agricultural activity like vineyards or orchards, elevated tracker-mounted PV arrays are increasingly used to strike a balance between crop protection and the best possible power production. Ground-mounted systems are frequently coupled with battery energy storage systems (BESS) in order to enhance grid stability and help France achieve its broader energy transition objectives under its 2030 renewable energy targets. In France, however, the majority of the solar industry for homes and small businesses is made up of rooftop-mounted solar systems, which typically lack tracking capabilities. The main reason for this is because most French roofs are either tiled, angled, or situated in historical preservation districts, all of which have severe structural and architectural constraints. Due to the comparatively little increase in solar output, the cost-benefit ratio of installing mechanical trackers to these installations is often not justified. But there is a growing interest in utilizing lightweight, low-profile trackers on flat-roofed commercial structures, such as warehouses, logistics centers, and industrial facilities. The introduction of modular, adaptable tracking solutions is gradually creating new prospects, especially in the industrial industry, where businesses are attempting to increase their self-consumption of renewable energy and make up for expensive operating electricity expenses, even though rooftop-mounted trackers are still a niche market.

Considered in this report
• Historic Year: 2019
• Base year: 2024
• Estimated year: 2025
• Forecast year: 2030

Aspects covered in this report
• Solar Tracker Market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Technology
• Solar Photovoltaic (PV)
• Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)
• Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV)

By Installation Type
• Ground-Mounted
• Rooftop-Mounted Show more