The APER law and solar carports: what large parking owners in France need to plan for

Which car parks are covered?

The obligation applies to outdoor car parks larger than 1,500 m², whether existing or new. At least half of the surface must be covered by shade structures incorporating renewable generation — in practice, photovoltaic panels.

Typically affected: retail parks and shopping centres, logistics platforms, industrial sites, hospitals and public bodies, office parks and multi-site property owners. A single owner can easily hold dozens of eligible car parks falling under different deadlines.

Compliance timeline

1. 1 July 2026

   Outdoor car parks over 10,000 m²: at least 50% of the surface must be covered by solar carports.

2. 1 July 2028

   Outdoor car parks between 1,500 m² and 10,000 m²: same 50% coverage obligation.

3. Existing contracts

   Extensions may apply where the car park is operated by a third party under a concession or contract already in force.

The timeline and detailed rules stem from the APER law (law no. 2023-175) and its implementing texts. Specific situations should be confirmed with your legal counsel.

Available exemptions

• Technical, safety or architectural constraints that make installation impossible.
• Heritage, environmental or protected-site constraints.
• Works costs that are manifestly disproportionate to the expected benefits.
• Car parks due to be removed or redeveloped in the short term.

An exemption must be documented: it requires a technical and economic assessment of the site, not a simple declaration.

From obligation to economic opportunity

A solar carport is more than a compliance item. Properly scoped, it generates electricity next to a consuming site, shelters vehicles, prepares the ground for EV charging and can be financed by a third party through a PPA. The value gap between an imposed project and a managed one comes mostly from partner selection and the quality of the specification.

Method: four steps to secure your programme

1. 01
   Map your car parks

   Measure actual surface per site, flag those above the 1,500 m² threshold and rank them by regulatory deadline.

2. 02
   Qualify feasibility

   Ground structure, traffic flows, grid constraints, connection capacity, site load profile and the self-consumption vs PPA scenario.

3. 03
   Select EPC partners

   A shortlist of developers and EPCs genuinely equipped for carports: comparable references, financial strength and delivery capacity.

4. 04
   Compare and negotiate

   One common specification, like-for-like offer comparison, and a clear trade-off between owning the asset and third-party financing.