How are energy storage revenues evolving in France? What regulatory changes can the market expect in 2026? Our experts answer these questions and many more in this article.

French Storage Market Changes in 2026

Evolution of grid-connection “gabarit” in withdrawal zones

A new map with available grid connection capacities for storage under withdrawal limitations will be published by Q1 2026.

France expected to join MARI by the end of Q1 2026

Joining MARI will open new opportunities in balancing markets, enabling storage assets to participate more actively and enhance their revenues as the remuneration will shift to pay-as-clear.

Revised capacity mechanism – first auction expected in 2026

A redesigned capacity mechanism with an inaugural auction with multi-year contracts scheduled for July 2026.

TURPE 7 storage option

In August the storage option grid fee structure will be unforced, enabling storage to be remunerated for congestion management.

New market for tertiary reserves (mFRR) procurement in France

France is set to introduce a new market dedicated to mFRR capacity with 15min products.
This change is expected to create a new revenue stream for BESS.

Together, these developments are set to significantly strengthen the business case for storage assets in France.

Regulatory update

As part of the implementation of the technical requirements for classified installations relating to the environmental protection (ICPE) regulations applicable to stationary battery storage systems (category 2925-2), the Directorate-General for Risk Prevention has published a new working draft for industry consultation.

This version introduces numerous changes compared to the previous working draft, the most significant being:

• The omission of the reference to standard UL9540a, which in the previous version was sufficient to justify the absence of a risk of fire spread. The 2026 working version requires that non-spread tests include the scenario of multiple cells catching fire simultaneously, which goes beyond the tests carried out under UL9540a. This point could significantly influence the choice of suppliers and steer developers towards suppliers who have carried out these tests.
• Detailed requirements regarding the dimensions of access routes, which were absent from the previous version.
• Clarification on the fire-water sprinkler and collection systems to be implemented. The 2026 working version does indeed state that these are not necessary if it is demonstrated that fire will not spread from one battery enclosure to another.
• The introduction of two capacity thresholds per battery enclosure, 5 MWh and 10 MWh, used to define the applicable distances and the fire-extinguishing measures to be implemented.

This working version amends the previous version, which was submitted for consultation in June 2024.