When are payments for solar energy production from French home received?

Reader Question: We had solar panels fitted two years ago with any excess electricity generated being resold to the grid. EDF have confirmed they are receiving electricity from us but we have yet to receive any payments

The first thing to do is ensure you have the correct type of contract, as there are multiple ways of selling your surplus energy back to the grid. 

These contracts can either see you paid a lump sum for installing the panels, selling all of the energy produced to EDF, or only your surplus.

You can read more about each type below.

Read more: How to sell energy to the grid from your solar panels in France

Connecting your panels to the grid (allowing EDF to receive the electricity) is only the first part of the process. 

Not all panels installed allow for surplus energy to be sold, even if you have connected yourselves to the grid. 

You must also make sure you have signed and finalised the contrat d’achat, or purchase contract, with EDF to receive payments.

This is a separate document from those you need to sign with the supplier to connect your panels to the grid. 

EDF states in its FAQs on solar panels it “will only be able to settle invoices once the contract has been signed by both parties.” so check to see you have a signed version of this. 

If you have not, the FAQ section explains how to use either an electronic signature for the document, or how to sign it and send it to EDF.

In order to be paid, it is also usually necessary to take a meter reading once a year, at the anniversary date of the contract, to establish an invoice. This is done via your online ‘producer’s space’. Payment should then be made for the previous 12 months. 

Lodging a complaint

If you are not being paid, you can make an official complaint to EDF about the situation, using a lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception – this will provide you with an official paper trail. 

If your letter still goes unanswered you can make an official complaint to Sollen, France’s national energy ombudsman after two months. It has a page dedicated to issues with reselling surplus solar panel energy here.

The Sollen website details any additional steps you must take before contacting them with your dispute, but can mediate on energy purchasing contracts as part of its official capacity. 

You can either file your complaint on the Sollen website, or send a letter to the address below: 

Médiateur national de l’énergie

Libre réponse n° 59252

75443 PARIS Cedex 09

If Sollen fails to successfully negotiate with EDF for you, you can take the company to court, but this is a last resort. 

Read more:

How to contest increased or ‘catch up’ energy bills in France