PARIS, April 10 (Xinhua) -- French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Friday the government will introduce a series of new measures to accelerate electrification in France, as part of efforts to reduce reliance on gas and oil.
Amid a surge in energy prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East, the government aims to step up its 2030 ambitions, targeting a shift from oil and gas accounting for 60 percent of final energy consumption to 60 percent decarbonized energy.
"As long as we depend on oil and gas, we will continue to pay the price of other people's wars," Lecornu said in a televised address, stressing the need to "change scale."
To achieve this, the government plans to gradually electrify sectors still reliant on fossil fuels, prioritizing electricity generated from nuclear and renewable sources. Transport will increasingly shift towards electric vehicles, buildings towards heat pumps, and industry towards greater use of electric furnaces, Lecornu said.
He added that support for electrification will be doubled, rising from the current 5.5 billion euros (6.4 billion U.S dollars) to 10 billion euros (11.7 billion dollars) per year through to 2030.
Since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict, France has avoided broad-based fuel subsidies, opting instead for targeted support for sectors most exposed to rising energy costs.
