Solar · separate from CBAM

Would your module clear a French tender?

Solar panels are not a CBAM good and carry no certificate cost. They face a different rule that bites harder: French CRE tenders score and gate on a module's lifecycle carbon footprint, in kg CO₂e per kWc. Miss the threshold and you are not more expensive — you are ineligible.

Where does each stage happen?

Screening footprint

1051.1kg CO₂e / kWc

  • Fails — Ground-mounted (CRE PPE2 Sol)550 limit · 501.1 over
  • Fails — Ground-mounted, revised methodology740 limit · 311.1 over
  • Fails — Building-integrated (CRE PPE2 Bâtiment)740 limit · 311.1 over

Where it comes from

  • Polysilicon · CN374.6 kg (35.6%)
  • Ingot and wafer · CN286.4 kg (27.2%)
  • Cell · IN156.9 kg (14.9%)
  • Module assembly · IN73.9 kg (7%)
  • Glass, frame, encapsulant, backsheet · IN145 kg (13.8%)
  • Transport to the delivery point14.32 kg (1.4%)

63% of this footprint is decided before the module factory, in polysilicon and ingot. Moving those steps, or the electricity behind them, is the only change that materially moves the number.

What would move it

  • Source wafers made on a low-carbon grid1051.1 → 479.1 kg CO₂e/kWc

    Assumes: Upstream stages moved to a grid at 0.06 kg CO2e/kWh, contracted and evidenced for the whole supply period.

  • Run your own plant on contracted renewables1051.1 → 857.9 kg CO₂e/kWc

    Assumes: Cell and assembly electricity at 0.02 kg CO2e/kWh under a power purchase agreement, with settlement data available.

Before you rely on this

  • Screening estimate. A French CRE tender requires an ECS certificate issued by the certification body against the published methodology and tied to this module code. An industry average is not accepted.
  • Verdex is not a certification body and does not issue ECS certificates.
  • 63% of this footprint is decided before the module factory, in polysilicon and ingot. Moving those steps, or the electricity behind them, is the only change that materially moves the number.
  • This screen uses representative stage energies. Your own metered figures will move it, which is the whole reason to do the exercise properly.
Build a real module footprintI export steel, not panels