EDF Renewables continued to expand in solar power with a view to rebalancing different technologies. At end 2019, gross installed solar capacity was 2,766.0MWp (1,426.6MWp net), up by 82.8MWp net i.e. +6%, compared to end 2018. EDF Renewables also has a portfolio of solar projects under construction comprising 1,479.8MWp gross.
EDF Renewables has structured its policy in such a way as to contribute to EDF’s Solar Plan, launched by the Group in December 2017 with the aim of developing and constructing 30% of the new solar power capacity in France for the 2020-2035 period. EDF thus aims to become the leader in solar power in France, with 10GWp in 2028 and 30GWp in 2035. In order to step up its growth in solar power, EDF is implementing a strategy covering all market segments, based on an integrated development model for projects up to their operation, the quest for industrial excellence and continued investment in innovation. This strategy leverages EDF’s research and development and the territorial networking of EDF’s teams dedicated to local authorities and businesses. The lands targeted as a priority are sites referred to as “damaged”, i.e. industrial wastelands, polluted, abandoned or former quarry sites, which can be rehabilitated with the development of photovoltaic projects.
Since announcing its Solar Plan, EDF has successfully completed the preparatory phase of the Plan. 2,000 hectares of land have been secured, projects for 500 MWp have been authorised, and in 2019, EDF’s market share in CRE calls for tender increased significantly, with 23 successful projects totalling 180 MWp. The solar power projects commissioned in 2019 account for a total of 24.2MWp, amounting to growth of 20%. In addition, in 2019, EDF Renewables acquired the Luxel Group, an independent solar power player in France. Luxel’s portfolio, totalling one gigawatt peak (1GWp), comprises solar farms that are already being operated together with projects ready to be constructed or currently being developed. This acquisition has helped accelerate the growth of EDF Renewables in solar power and achieve the Solar Plan targets.
Innovation also supports the development of solar power, notably in the form of projects for floating power plants and crowdfunding campaigns. Lazer, the first floating solar plant of the EDF group on the Buëch, in the Hautes Alpes, was selected for the ground-based solar call for tenders launched by the Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity Transition. The solar panels of this project of a maximum power of 20 MWp will be installed on 24 hectares on the hydroelectric reservoir i.e. three-quarters of the water surface’s total area.
Some projects include a crowdfunding campaign, enabling the inhabitants of a region to be involved with the funding of the projects in question. This was the case, for example, for the Aramon project (5MWp) in Gard and the Saint-Pargoire project (11MWp) in Hérault, for which a crowdfunding campaign was organised on the leading digital investment platform WiSEED.
In 2019, EDF Renewables transferred its assets to Edison (see section 1.4.5.2.4 “EDF Renewables in Italy”).
In 2019, EDF Renewables North America won a long-term contract for the Morris Ridge solar power project, with installed capacity of 212MWp/170 MWac. In addition to conventional electricity sales contracts, EDF Renewables North America has developed the sale of electricity through private contracts, resulting in private contracts totalling over 200 MWp of solar capacity being entered into with companies.
The Group entered the Mexican solar power market in 2016 by winning the Bluemex project following a national call for tenders. Located in the state of Sonora, the plant (119.6MW) was commissioned in July 2019.
The Group is developing its solar power business in India through EDEN, a joint subsidiary created for this purpose in 2016 by EDF and EREN Renewable Energy. In 2019, the subsidiary entered into four electricity sales contracts in northern India for total capacity of 716MWp.
EDF Renewables joined the consortium led by Masdar to develop the “DEWA III” project which is the third phase (800 MWac) of one of the most powerful solar farm projects in the world, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar farm, which is being developed in partnership with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) near Dubai.
Commissioning of the power plant is planned in three successive phases. The first two phases (500 MWac in total) were commissioned in 2018 and 2019 respectively.The commissioning of the last unit is planned for 2020.
EDF Renewables joined forces with Elsewedy Electric to develop, build and operate two photovoltaic plants with a total installed capacity of 130 MWac. Located in the south of the country the two plants form part of the Benban solar complex (1.8GWac) and come with a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC). The Benban solar power plants were commissioned in August 2019.
In 2019, EDF Renewables announced the strategic acquisition of a stake in Karm Solar, a major player on the emerging independent solar power producers’ market in Egypt aimed at domestic customers. Karmsolar has a total portfolio of 170 MW of solar power plants, including operational plants and plants under construction or development.
In 2019, EDF Renewables, in a consortium with Masdar and Green of Africa, successfully bid for the first phase of the Noor Midelt I solar project in Morocco, using a hybrid solar-storage technology that is a world first. This hybrid solar project with installed capacity of 800MW innovatively combines two technologies: concentrated solar power (CSP) and photovoltaic solar power.
As an integrated operator, EDF Renewables operates and maintains most of its own wind and solar facilities. Dedicated first and foremost to EDF group wind and solar assets, this activity is also carried out on behalf of third parties. Worldwide, EDF Renewables operates 15.0GW at end-December 2019 with over 1200 experts, engineers and technicians across nine countries. EDF Renewables has long been active in the operation-maintenance field in North America where it manages close to 11.3GW. The business in Europe and the rest of the world exceeds 3.6GW at end 2019.
This activity is driven by commissioning new plants and choosing which facilities to operate on a case-by-case basis according to technology and region. The aim is to achieve maximum efficiency in every facility in conjunction with providers throughout the expected or extended useful life of equipment.
Accordingly, EDF Renewables recently set up a predictive maintenance oversight centre (e-Diagnostic Center) drawing on specific in-house expertise centralised and coordinated with the EDF group’s R&D Department. It complements the facility remote monitoring and control system made up of three real-time oversight centres inColombiers (France), Emden (Germany) and San Diego (California).
Since 2017, EDF Renewables owns via its subsidiary REETEC GmbH a subsidiary specialising in the operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms, the German firm Offshore Wind Solutions GmbH (OWS). OWS operates and maintains the BARD Offshore 1 wind farm (400MW) located 95km off the German coast in the North Sea.
EDF Renewables owns several European maintenance centres: in Belgium, Greece, United Kingdom, Germany and France. These operation-maintenance units are designed to place technical teams as close to wind or solar farms as possible to ensure faster response times and thus operational performance.
EDF ENR is an integrated player in decentralised solar power production, carrying out design, development, construction, operation, and maintenance of rooftop and car park canopy installations. A wholly-owned subsidiary of the Group, it markets solar power offers for domestic customers, professionals, and local authorities in metropolitan France and overseas departments and territories. With over 10,000 installations of its residential self-consumption “Mon Soleil & Moi” (My Sun & Me) solution, first launched in 2016, EDF ENR now enjoys a leading position on the market. On the professional market, the offering features in the “EDF Energy Solutions” catalogue, under the responsibility of business market sales teams. EDF Renewables Technologies, a wholly-owned subsidiary of EDF Renewables, also operates upstream in the sector. It owns 100% of EDF ENR PWT (Photowatt brand)which designs and manufactures photovoltaic modules using crystalline silicon technology with various applications ranging from residential equipment to land-based solar farms. Since late 2018, Photowatt has been rolling out a new industrial model focusing on low-carbon production of high-technology silicon wafer sand ingots. The generation capacity is gradually reaching over 500 MWp a year at Photo watt’s existing facility at Bourgoin-Jallieu (38) in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region in France. Alongside this joint project, Photowatt focuses on its R&D activities, renamed Photowatt Lab, in conjunction with the EDF group’s R&D Department and solar energy research centres such as INES or the Photovoltaic Institute of
