A new law in France requires large parking lots to be covered by solar panels. The law is part of French president Emmanuel Macron’s plans to use more renewable energy.
The law, which was approved last week, says that parking lots with space for 80 vehicles or more must be covered by solar panels.
Parking lots with between 80 and 400 parking spaces have five years to install the solar panels. Lots with more than 400 parking spaces have only three years, but only need to cover half of the spaces.
The French government believes that the new solar panels will generate up to 11 gigawatts of power. The government is also considering building solar farms on empty land next to highways, railways, and farmland.
Recently, Macron has supported nuclear power, and announced plans to boost renewable energy in France. He wants the country to build wind farms and solar farms more quickly.
The French government also wants people and businesses to use less energy. In Paris, the Eiffel Tower lights turn off more than one hour earlier than usual.
Energy prices in Europe have increased mainly because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The French government will spend €45bn to help lower energy costs in the country.
VOCABULARY
- Law – a rule, regulation, or guideline set by the government
- Parking lot – car park (UK); an area where cars/vehicles can be parked and left
- Solar panel – a device that changes energy from the sun into electricity
- Renewable – Can be continued or extended for a longer period; replacing itself by natural processes;
- Approve – officially agree; accept; to say “yes”; authorize
- Vehicle – a machine, usually with wheels and an engine, used for transporting people or goods
- Parking space – a small area (usually in a parking lot) for parking a single vehicle
- Install – to put something in place so that it is ready to use; to set up for use or service
- Generate – produce; create; cause; make
- Consider – to think about carefully; to take ‘something’ into account when thinking or deciding;
- Solar farm – a large area of land with many solar panels used to generate electricity
- Nuclear power – atomic energy; electric power generated by a nuclear reactor
- Announce – share information openly; to tell the public; to make a statement; to report
- Boost – to help increase; to improve; to push up
- Wind farm – an area of land with many wind turbines used to generate electricity
- Mainly – for the most part; mostly; primarily; chiefly; principally
- Invasion – the action of going into and attacking/fighting another country
Original story from the Guardian below:
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