3.3.2.1.6 Contribute towards the implementation of public policies
Protected areas or endangered species(1)
In Europe, several EDF sites contribute to achieving the preservation objectives in the Natura 2000 areas and to implementing the Natura 2000 contracts. The Group participates in Life+ programmes, in particular EDF for the Pyrenean Desman (2014-2019), EDF Luminus for migratory fish, or the distribution network operator Enedis with Life Gypconnect 2015-2021.
In France, the Group contributes to a number of national action plans for the Bearded Vulture, the Zingel Asper and Bonelli’s Eagle, and takes part in the regional variants of these plans, such as the European otter project in the Centre region, Angelica Heterocarpa, or the one for Odonata, which was the topic of a thesis defended in 2018.
For raising awareness among the general public
In addition to the Fête de la nature (i.e. “Nature Festival”) initiative(2), the Group is implementing other voluntary action levers, as part of political sponsorship initiatives. in Brazil, EDF Norte Fluminense is continuing its work which has been underway for ten years with the Mico Leao Dourado non-profit organisation top reserve an Atlantic rainforest: reforestation of the watershed, Leontopithecus rosali habitat (golden lion tamarin). In 2019, the Company extended its partnership to take action on agroforestry. Since the start of the project, nearly 10 hectares of forest and agroforestry systems have been reforested with the direct support of EDF Norte Fluminense. EDF supports the “red list” of endangered species in France prepared by UICN France and the French Natural History Museum. In Guadeloupe, EDF is contributing to the project to create an educational marine area in the Montal basin in the city of Moule.
3.3.2.2 EDF, a company with a responsible attitude to environmental capital
3.3.2.2.1 Water
Global demand for energy and water is increasing against a backdrop of climate change, which increases the mutual dependence of both processes. Water is essential to producing most forms of energy. It is an issue identified in the materiality matrix as a significant issue. As a manager and major user of water, EDF must protect, manage and share water throughout the regions in which it operates by fully integrating the highly local dimension of water management. The EDF group has included “water” risk in its risk management policy and in particular in its investment decisions.
3.3.2.2.1.1 Responsible water use
Water reservoirs held by EDF’s large dams in France enable the storage of more than 7 billion cubic metres of water. At the Group level, around 50 billion cubic metres of water (including sea water) are used for cooling thermal power facilities, of which 99% is returned to the natural environment and can be reused instantaneously. As such, EDF is a significant user, but negligible consumer, of water.
The Group Sustainable Development policy includes a water requirement: “Managing water in an integrated, inclusive and sustainable manner” and results in a specific indicator: “Each energy generation site shall plan, evaluate and report the sustainability of its water use using an internal EDF method (pending a recognised international method)”. The Group mobilised a working group internally to define a range of indicators on the sustainability of water uses to feed the dialogue with local stakeholders. These indicators, can, depending on the context, reflect the relation to water of a development level or a set of developments in a river basin. Every year, a significant amount (several million €) is spent on water-related R&D, which led in 2019 to the launch of the Visi’Eau project, covering various areas of research from water as a cold source to hydrological river basin modelling, lasting 4 years and costing €9 million.
EDF is also directly involved, as UFE representative to Eurelectric, in European Commission working groups on the Water Framework Directive, as well as a range of international associations or working groups on water (IHA Board of Directors, Board of Directors of the Partenariat Français de l’Eau (French Water Partnership), member of the World Water Council, etc.). This allows it to observe and anticipate global and regional trends in terms of water-related issues.
Management of water withdrawals and consumption
Exposure of the Group’s generation resources to water stress has been assessed using a range of tools (Baseline water stress, Aware, etc.), and remains limited(3).
Most of the water withdrawal from its facilities is carried out in France (81%) and the UK (17%) in areas where there is no permanent water stress; the nuclear and thermal facilities are mainly established in coastal locations (and therefore do not use fresh water). In situations where a specific, potential risk has been identified, suitable measures have been taken either during design or operation. Therefore, the Lunax reservoir was constructed from the outset upstream of the Golfech nuclear plant to prevent a possible shortage of water from the Garonne used for cooling in periods of severe drought. In 2019, Golfech was shut down for several days during a heat wave, not due to flow issues, but rather high river temperatures (regulatory limits reached). Particular attention is paid to water stress when screening any new project presented to the Group Executive Committee’s Commitments Committee (CECEG). In terms of hydropower generation, some reservoirs are located upstream from basins experiencing water stress, meaning they are regularly required to provide back-up in case of lower water levels. Every 5 years, EDF Hydro reassesses its sites’ generation, taking account of changing hydrology and temperatures due to climate change.
Worldwide, 66% of the water withdrawn for cooling purposes by the Group comes from marine or estuary environments, where resource availability is not an issue. This percentage is almost 60% in France, over 99% in the United Kingdom and close to 91% in Italy.
Water withdrawals are slightly lower (7%) than in the three previous years but freshwater withdrawals remained stable. The quantity of freshwater sourced from groundwater is marginal and amounts to 2hm3, about 0.01% of the freshwater surface. Likewise, mains water is used only for various forms of process water but not for cooling systems and its use is therefore negligible (<0.1%).
Almost 99% of water withdrawn is returned to the environment. In accordance with local intake and discharge regulations, the Group’s companies take the necessary measures, as part of their EMS, to comply with water quantity and quality requirements. They have implemented, in tandem with stakeholders, measures tailored to exceptional weather conditions. EDF monitors the indicator parameters for the quality of the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems (pH, temperature, conductance, O2, etc..) around the sites, including subterranean groundwater. The results of this monitoring are provided to local authorities and used in documents or other media available to the public. There were no significant water-related environmental events in 2019.
The volume of evaporated water(4) in absolute terms (486hm3) was down by 3%, and, as for withdrawals, this fall was mainly due to the energy mix used (4% fall in nuclear generation), and France (95.7%) and the United Kingdom (2.1%) accounted for most of this volume. Specific consumption of evaporated water per kilowatt hour of electricity generated, also called water intensity, was stable, equalling 0.87l/kWh in 2019 compared to 0.86 in 2018.
(1) These initiatives are carried out on species identified according to their status and dependence or proximity to our facilities.
(2) See section 3.1.2.4.7 “Sustainable Development (SD) Training and Awareness Raising”, awareness of external audiences.
(3) Only 3 fossil-fired thermal sites are located in a water stress zone (drought-related prefectural by-laws are enacted practically every year) where appropriate water saving measures have been taken without having an impact on generation.
(4) Of which 99.5% fresh water.