EDF Renewables owns several European maintenance centres: in Belgium, Greece, United Kingdom and France. These operation-maintenance units are designed to place technical teams as close to wind or solar farms as possible. In 2022, EDF Renewables opened its second operation & maintenance centre for offshore wind power in France at Fécamp (the first, at Saint-Nazaire, was inaugurated in 2021). Some 100 maintenance technicians will work there in 2023 to operate the future Fécamp offshore wind farm.
In November 2022, EDF Renewables sold its subsidiary specialising in the operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms, the German firm Offshore Wind Solutions GmbH (OWS) in Emden.
EDF ENR is an integrated player in decentralised solar power generation, 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 residential customers, professionals, and local authorities in metropolitan France and overseas départements and territories. With over 60,000 facilities completed, EDF ENR now occupies a leading position. On the residential market, it carries out some 25% of all self-consumption installations in France. On the professional market, the offering features in the “EDF Solutions Énergétiques” catalogue.
In addition, EDF Renewables Technologies, a wholly-owned subsidiary of EDF Renewables, is present in the upstream segment. 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. Photowatt is rolling out an industrial model focusing on low-carbon production of high-technology silicon wafers and ingots. Alongside this joint project, Photowatt focuses on its R&D activities, in conjunction with the EDF group’s R&D Department and solar energy research centres such as INES or the Photovoltaic Institute of Ile-de-France region.
EDF Renewables is engaged in a growth strategy in the United States on the decentralised energy market. Since 2016, several acquisitions and partnerships have served to develop this business (acquisition in 2016 of Global Resources Options, Inc. (groSolar) and partnership in 2018 with EnterSolar).
In 2019 in North America, EDF Renewables acquired PowerFlex Systems with the aim of speeding up large-scale deployment of infrastructures for electric vehicles in the United States. Based in Los Altos, California, PowerFlex is a pioneering firm in the field of charging technology.
In North America, EDF Renewables entered into a strategic partnership with EnterSolar in 2018 and took a 50% equity stake in the company. In 2021, it acquired the remaining 50% interest in EnterSolar and consolidated all decentralised “behind the meter” activities under the PowerFlex brand. Bundling energy solutions for business and industry enables PowerFlex to offer customers a stand-alone or bundled package of on-site solar, battery storage, electric vehicle charging, microgrid and energy management systems.
In December 2022, PowerFlex announced investment of $100 million by Manulife Investment Management, which joined the Board of Directors as a minority shareholder (1). Today, PowerFlex is one of the largest developers and installers of commercial solar power in the United States, with over 400MW commissioned. The company has deployed and operates almost 10,000 charging stations.
EDF Renewables contributes to the Storage Plan launched by the Group in 2018. In a context marked by the strong growth of renewable energy generation and by the closure of large-scale electrical facilities, battery storage technology, combined with a smart control system, helps smooth out the generation of electricity of the national grid. In this context, through its subsidiaries, EDF Renewables develops innovative storage systems in the US, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and South Africa.
EDF Renewables has also launched a new microgrid activity comprising solar projects equipped with a battery storage system that is connected to a local grid in remote areas (deserts, islands).
In September 2021, EDF Renewables and its partner Perpetua Holding were awarded an innovative project in South Africa. It combines solar, wind and battery storage technologies. This project named Umoyilanga consists of a 77MW wind farm and a 138MW solar plant, each equipped with a battery system.
EDF Renewables is developing and building storage systems linked to solar power projects.
In 2022, EDF Renewables North America commissioned two Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS): Maverick 6 (50MW) and Big Beau (40MW). In all, the subsidiary has 3 installed projects with total capacity of 125MW.
In June 2021, EDF Renewables North America won 3 long-term contracts with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) for 3 solar-oriented projects. These solar power and storage projects correspond to combined capacity of one gigawatt (GW).
Through its start-up Pivot Power (2), EDF Renewables opened the most powerful vehicle recharging station in Europe, the Oxford Energy Superhub, in July 2022. This project is part of a national network of Energy Superhubs developed by Pivot Power, combining batteries connected to the transport network and an electricity infrastructure to recharge electric vehicles. The aim is to encourage the use of renewable energy and accelerate the decarbonation of transportation. Initially the hub will offer fast charging for 42 vehicles.
In August 2022, EDF Renewables UK began construction of a new 50MW/100MWh battery facility at Energy Superhub Coventry, capable of powering 100,000 homes for two hours. The battery is due to be operational in 2023.
Pivot Power, a subsidiary of EDF Renewables, secured permission in March 2022 to build two new storage battery facilities at Sundon (Luton) and Indian Queens in Cornwall. Construction of the 50MW/100MWh lithium-ion storage battery facility at Sundon is due to begin in early 2023, with link-up to the grid planned by the end of the year (3).
(1) See Powerflex press release dated 13 December 2022 “PowerFlex Receives a $100M Investment From Manulife Investment Management” (Powerflex.com).
(2) With Oxford City Council, Fastned, Tesla Superchargers and Wenea.
(3) See press release dated 17 March 2022 “Pivot Power announces planning approval for two new battery storage sites in Luton and Cornwall to supercharge a smarter energy grid”.
