Brussels, 09/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - The Association, “Hands off My Solar Panel” brings together 3,700 different actors from the French photovoltaic subsidiary, including many SMEs. The group is expected to submit a complaint to the European Commission against the EDF energy provider for anti-competitive practices. On Tuesday 8 February, a spokesperson for the organisation explained that “the EDF group is at the heart of French energy policy and there are significant conflicts of interest between the subsidiaries in charge of network distribution and the EDF Agence Obligation d'Achat, which purchases electricity produced by solar panels at prices set by the public authorities”. The French solar subsidiary has been subject to a three-month moratorium since December 2010, imposed by Paris, on all projects involving more than 3 kW. This also suspends EDF's obligation to repurchase solar energy at current prices. In December 2010, the waiting list for EDF network connection requests had reached a level of more than 5000 MW. Hands off My Solar Panel association considers that the EDF's new energy subsidiary is effectively a huge speculator, “with 82% of large power projects and 50% of medium power projects on the waiting list, which constitutes a significant conflict of interest”. In addition to this complaint submitted to DG Competition at the Commission, a second complaint will also be submitted to DG Environment for the French state's failure to meet its commitments in the field of renewable energies. The association deplores the fact that “despite France being urged to bring up renewables to 23% of its energy mix by 2020, it has cut off the wings of its photovoltaic energy and is subsequently in danger of being unable to meet its obligations in the renewable energy field”. (E.H./transl.fl)