To achieve this, the sector has already begun its transition. The use of biofuels, which saves money, is becoming more widespread, despite being three times more expensive than kerosene. European regulations rcs data currently require a minimum 1% biofuel content on each flight; they aim to increase this ceiling to 6% by 2030.
are working hard to propose new concepts for the future. Hydrogen-powered aircraft are being heavily studied by Airbus, which hopes to introduce such an aircraft starting in 2035. Others are moving toward electric technologies like Aura Aéro, particularly for journeys of less than 150 km. Current models are much more sustainable thanks to the latest generation of engines and lighter fuselages. Innovations are emerging to limit the carbon footprint of an industry that is essential but not neutral.
This industry, like many others, is undergoing rapid change, and there are numerous levers for action: airports, fuels, engines, fuselages, sensors, etc. Every innovation counts. The sector is crucial to the French economy, accounting for 12% of exports. Aeronautics and space are industries with a significant export surplus in a global trade deficit.
C – Energy (especially green energy)
The energy sector is omnipresent in the industrial sector, powering all economic agents. This sector is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting environmental sustainability. The transition to renewable energy is therefore central to the future challenges of this industry.
To achieve its ambitions by 2050, the sector is banking on various solutions such as onshore and offshore wind, hydropower, and solar energy (TotalEnergies inaugurated one of France’s largest solar power plants perform real-time verification in December 2022 in Fos-Sur-Mer). Engie, a key player in this transition, plans to invest between €13 and €14 billion in renewable energy. Nuclear power remains an essential “green” energy source to achieve our objectives and maintain a shred of our energy sovereignty, since it represents 43% of the production capacity of the French electricity fleet in 2022 and nearly 63% of production that same year.
Exceptionally, and for the first time in 40 years, France recorded a trade deficit in
electricity in 2022. Indeed, France imported massive amounts of electricity from Germany/Benelux, Spain, and the United Kingdom, but the trade balance is still positive with Switzerland and Italy.
The energy industry is the one that will support the transition of most other industries and society to renewable energy. However, consumption volume is being undermined by two factors. The first is the energy plan presented by the government in 2022 to achieve 10% less energy consumption than in 2019, and the second fresh list factor is the increase in the price of electricity. Stakeholders will therefore have to be vigilant in this regard to ensure their growth and continue their investments in green energy.