Wherever it operates, EDF strictly manages water on each site, and is part of a water management system for each river basin. In France, EDF is represented at meetings of each of the river basin water authorities. EDF’s actions are fully in line with the new master plans for water development and management (SDAGEs) for the 2016-2021 period. Since 2003, EDF has had an internal water coordination body, chaired by the Group Senior Executive Vice-President, Renewable Energies. In2019, negotiations with stakeholders in the Rhône Mediterranean Corsica basin came to a successful conclusion, confirming the minimum flow rate of the Rhône in Bugey to be 150m³ /s. In 2019, EDF Norte Fluminense (Brazil) officially became a member of the Macae River Basin Committee, as was previously the case of Luminus in Belgium for the Meuse river (2017). The operational management of water is ensured at the national level by the Water Management Group (GGE)responsible for ensuring the regular, weekly or daily monitoring, if necessary, of water stocks in order to coordinate various production constraints and the management of the multiple uses of water. In 2019, very low flow rates on the Meuse and Moselle rivers resulted in the introduction of evaporation restrictions agreed in international conventions signed with Belgium and Luxembourg: these provisions in favour of downstream uses of frontier nuclear power plants were fully complied with, causing minor generation losses.

3.3.2.2.2 Air

Improving air quality by transforming the generation fleet⁽¹⁾

EDF is changing its fossil generation fleet, in its ambition to “Reduce air emissions of SO₂, NO_x and dust from the Group’s fossil-fired thermal fleet by 50% between 2005 and 2020.”⁽²⁾

After the closing of the 700MW oil-fired reactor units in France, EDF announced its plan to close the Le Havre coal-fired reactor unit in 2021. Regarding island systems, the oldest thermal generation resources will be decommissioned as and when new, lower-emission facilities are commissioned. In parallel, EDF is continuing its process of modernising and improving the environmental performance of its thermal fleet, until it meets European Best Available Techniques requirements. Regarding island systems, actions are taken to reduce NO_x, on a case-by-case basis: optimising exhaust gas processing⁽³⁾, or reducing the number of hours of operation for certain turbines. Internationally, the emission levels of a Combined Gas Cycle power plant, like the one in Norte Fluminense, are below its NO_x limit of 25ppm. Using its future exhaust gas processing system, the Edison CGC project, Marghera Levante (780MW with 63% efficiency), which should be commissioned in 2022 to replace two old facilities, will emit a quantity of NO_x equivalent to 30% of the current facility’s limit. EDF is testing biofuels to replace fossil fuels, liquid biomass to power a motor in Molène, as well as developing an alternative fuel made from wood waste and woody residues to fuel boilers in Cordemais⁽⁴⁾. At the same time, in the island systems, EDF is developing, non-NO_x and SO₂ emitting technologies, isolated 100% renewable energy systems in addition to the initiatives for controlling Energy Demand and saving energy.

Improving air quality by supporting public initiatives in this area

EDF⁽⁵⁾ has historical know-how on the understanding and modelling of atmospheric emissions and air-conditioning systems of buildings. With CEREA⁽⁶⁾, EDF R&D participates in the scientific effort by developing open source models⁽⁷⁾. This expertise is provided to the scientific community and local authorities. In Paris, Lille and the department of Haute Savoie, the distribution network operator Enedis’ vehicles are equipped with a network of air quality sensors called Pollutrack. This is the first company fleet to contribute to improving air quality by detecting and measuring pollution caused by the finest particles which are the most dangerous for health. Citelum works with partners like AirParif to identify innovative air quality improvement solutions. Trials are currently ongoing in the Île-de-France region, installing cameras and sensors on urban infrastructure to measure mobility flows and atmospheric variations in real time. By comparing data from connected devices, sources of air pollution can be identified and necessary corrective actions proposed to both make mobility flow and minimise its impact. This scheme, tested viaAIRLAB⁽⁸⁾, could subsequently be reproduced in other cities. EDF contributes to preventive and research initiatives on the health impact of air pollution engaging in the Association for Prevention of Air Pollution (APPA) and the Inter-professional Technical Centre for Studies on Air Pollution (CITEPA), and being an active member of the SFSE (French Society for Health and the Environment).

EDF also proposes solutions designed to improve indoor air quality. The city of Villiers-sur-Marne is setting up a global benchmark demonstrator of indoor and outdoor air quality supported by EDF’s scientific expertise.⁽⁹⁾ This is an innovative approach, targeting everything “from the street to the living room”, using digital modelling⁽¹⁰⁾ to create a sizing support tool. Dalkia is assisting not only healthcare facilities with operating blocks to comply with indoor air quality regulations, but also operators of public buildings. To develop solutions takes innovation and teamwork. Dalkia developed NemoPool with the start-up ETHERA to make both swimmers and pool staff more comfortable. This tool, which regulates the level of trichloramines by controlling ventilation systems, is a world first. Finally, to help residential customers maintain their well-being at home, the Sowee connected station features indoor air quality measurement and information on the level of outdoor air pollution.

In 2019, these actions resulted in emissions of 18kt of SO₂, 36kt of NO_x and 3kt of dust at the Group level.

(1) Furthermore, and beyond its generation fleet, EDF is gearing up to convert its vehicle fleet to electric as part of the EV programme (see section 3.2.2.2.1 "Electric mobility") reducing its NOx and dust emissions at the same time.
(2) Target in paragraph 2.3 from the EDF group’s SD policy In 2005, emissions were 236 kt, 209 kt and 14 kt respectively.
(3) To achieve in 2020, a 12% reduction in the concentration of NOx for motors and 25% for turbines.
(4) As part of the Ecocombust project.
(5) More specifically, it involves the MFEE Department of EDF R&D.
(6) Atmospheric Environment Education and Research Centre, a joint laboratory at EDF R&D and the École nationale des ponts et chaussées.
(7) Free access to source code.
(8) Airparif’s laboratory of innovative air quality solutions.
(9) EDF R&D as part of a research programme led by CEREA.
(10) CEREA/ENPC/EDF R&D.