France's ecology minister Delphine Batho pledged on Tuesday that the government will support the domestic biomass sector despite recent austerity measures and existing budget constraints.

Batho promised that the French authorities want to make the development of renewable energies a major axis of their domestic policy.

The minister assured companies operating in the renewable energy sector that the government will keep the special fund dedicated to the biomass sector set up by the Fillon government. That fund, launched in 2008, had at its disposal EUR 1.2 billion (USD 1.51bn), to be used over a period of five years.

Since 2000, the French state has supported the creation of 4,395 heating stations running on biomass. Their installed capacity amounts to 3,300 MW, equal to the power of three nuclear reactors.

At the same time, France lags behind in the segment of co-generation plants, which produce both heat and electricity. Such facilities, running on wood and plant waste, do not exceed the number of 15 in the country. The most important unit is operated by Dalkia in the Gironde department, southwestern France. It has a capacity of 69.5 MW.

France's ecology minister Delphine Batho pledged on Tuesday that the government will support the domestic biomass sector despite recent austerity measures and existing budget constraints.

Batho promised that the French authorities want to make the development of renewable energies a major axis of their domestic policy.

The minister assured companies operating in the renewable energy sector that the government will keep the special fund dedicated to the biomass sector set up by the Fillon government. That fund, launched in 2008, had at its disposal EUR 1.2 billion (USD 1.51bn), to be used over a period of five years.

Since 2000, the French state has supported the creation of 4,395 heating stations running on biomass. Their installed capacity amounts to 3,300 MW, equal to the power of three nuclear reactors.

At the same time, France lags behind in the segment of co-generation plants, which produce both heat and electricity. Such facilities, running on wood and plant waste, do not exceed the number of 15 in the country. The most important unit is operated by Dalkia in the Gironde department, southwestern France. It has a capacity of 69.5 MW.