France sees negative electricity prices as solar surges
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In France, wholesale electricity prices have been at zero or below for approximately 800 hours in 2026, a trend highlighted by energy analyst The Electric Viking.
This phenomenon is driven by an influx of solar power during the day, combined with higher costs for gas-powered electricity in the evenings and reduced output from nuclear plants due to summer conditions like heat and drought.
The Electric Viking noted that during one May holiday, wholesale prices fell to negative 56 cents per kilowatt-hour, meaning generators paid buyers to take the electricity. This volatility creates opportunities for battery operators, who can purchase electricity when prices are low or negative and then sell it back to the grid when demand and prices increase. Earnings for grid batteries jumped 135% in September due to this price arbitrage.
France started 2026 with 1.5 gigawatts of grid batteries, though this represents only a quarter of the solar capacity added in 2025. To take advantage of these low prices, around 11 million French households on off-peak plans now have access to cheaper electricity during midday hours. Renault 5 owners can even participate in a program offering free charging by allowing their vehicles to feed power back into the grid when needed.
Experts believe that increasing battery storage capacity is key to fully capitalizing on the benefits of abundant renewable energy in France.
