EDF is also a founding member of several European associations recognised at the EU level, such as Nugenia for nuclear power and EASE for storage.
In addition, several partnerships are active in the Paris-Saclay Campus ecosystem, such as SEIDO, a joint research laboratory between EDF and Telecom ParisTech that focuses on the internet of things and cyber security for electrical systems, the Finance and Energy Markets joint laboratory operated with educational institutions such as Dauphine, ENSAE and École Polytechnique, etc.
EDF’s R&D has also set up the Materials Ageing Institute (MAI), an international research centre on materials ageing that brings together, alongside EDF, most of the world’s major nuclear operators.
Internationally, since the early 2000s, EDF has had a research centre in Germany, EIFER, in collaboration with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). This centre is chiefly devoted to decentralised production (fuel cells, hydrogen), sustainable cities and territories, geothermal energy, and biofuels.
EDF Energy UK consolidates the Group’s positions in the British research eco-system, particularly through Strathclyde University in the field of renewables, as well as with Manchester University, Imperial College, the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) and the University of Bristol in the field of nuclear energy. The centre provides direct support to the activities of EDF Energy business units whether in the existing nuclear field (extension of AGR reactor lifespans, decommissioning), or in new projects with the installation of an antenna in Bristol to support the HPC project and help solve its environmental problems. The centre is also fully mobilised, in digital solutions for clients and offshore wind farm projects for which it is the reference centre for all the Group’s projects in France and abroad.
The Beijing centre is an asset in terms of participating in large-scale Chinese smart grid demonstration projects for smart grids, or nuclear facilities (see section 1.4.5.3.6.1 “China”). The centre was reorganised in 2019 to provide significant support for the ambitions defined in the 2025 strategic plan of EDF China and its business units. It thus focuses on areas such as sustainable cities and, more broadly, local multi-energy projects combining electricity, biomass and heating and cooling networks. It also provides support to the new renewable energy development entity established in China.
The United States R&D and innovation sector is one of the largest and most buoyant in the world. EDF group has had an R&D and Innovation centre in Silicon Valley for several years, which supports its development in the USA and contributes to innovation in the Group. This laboratory’s research areas include the analysis of technological and digital trends, market design and the assessment of new business models for the Group in the USA.
Singapore’s R&D centre mainly focuses on supporting the promotion and implementation of the Group’s know-how concerning sustainable cities and marketing the various solutions of the Group. Throughout 2019, Lab Singapore received feedback from its cost-competitive, renewable energy micro-grids demonstrator on Semakau Island off the coast of Singapore,
Enedis’ R&D and innovation programme aims to meet the main challenges facing the distribution system operators. It contributes to developing a long-term vision and identifying technological breakthroughs and new services expected and, at the same time, designs concrete industrial solutions within rigorously observed time frames. It concentrates on two main issues: improving industrial performance and facilitating energy transition.
The work carried out to improve industrial performance focuses on the following areas:
The portion of the programme that aims to facilitate energy transition focuses on the following areas:
Intellectual property plays a major role in protecting the EDF group’s technologies and know-how from competition, and in leveraging these assets through licensing agreements.
EDF is keen to strengthen its industrial property portfolio in order to make the most of its capacity for innovation and technological expertise. The portfolio is comprised of patents, registered software and formalised expertise.
At the end of 2019, EDF’s portfolio (including Enedis’ portfolio) comprised 682 patented innovations, protected by 1933 property titles in France and abroad.
Strengthening the patent portfolio is a priority. It aims to facilitate R&D cooperation, protect the development of EDF’s activities, to contribute to the Group’s external image, to boost researcher motivation and to further enhance the value of inventions.
In 2019, EDF filed 61 patent applications(1) (59 in 2018).
“EDF” is a registered trademark in over 90 countries. The Group’s name is a vital component of its image and its assets: the EDF brand, Internet domain names and logos are therefore constantly monitored, in order to protect them against any fraudulent use likely to jeopardise the Group’s image. Moreover, following the work to enhance the status of the “EDF” brand, the Company has entered into brand licensing agreements with those of its subsidiaries that use the “EDF” brand.
The Group has also registered a large number of other trademarks, in particular those relating to the business of its various subsidiaries.
At the end of 2019, the EDF group’s brand portfolio comprised some 548 names, protected by over 1,384 property titles, excluding the subsidiaries own portfolio.
(1) Enedis filed four patent applications.
