Sian Crampsie
EDF has unveiled plans to invest €8 billion to develop 10 GW of new energy storage capacity around the world by 2035.
The French energy giant says that its objective is to become the European leader in the energy storage field, and that it will also increase its research ad development activities in the energy storage field.
“Electricity storage technologies have a potential to radically change the energy sector,” said Jean-Bernard Lévy, EDF’s CEO and Chairman. “EDF’s Electricity Storage Plan is based on the expertise coming from all entities within our Group and 25 years of investment in R&D.
“The new limit the Group is setting is a 100 per cent carbon-free power system by 2050. By its scale, the Electricity Storage Plan, like the Solar Plan, confirms EDF’s ability to enable a competitive ecosystem in order to make our carbon-free future a reality.”
EDF said that its energy storage plan is a response to the rapidly changing energy landscape and the “critical role” that energy storage has to play in the energy transition. In addition to Europe, the group is planning to target the development of off-grid systems in Africa through local partnerships.
EDF said in a statement that it would launch at least three battery projects in the next 12 months. In Ghana, it is planning to extend services offering access to electricity using solar panels and batteries.
Investment into research and development will double, reaching €70 million for the 2018-2020 period, EDF said.
In 2017 EDF unveiled a solar energy plan, outlining a strategy to develop and build 30 GW of solar plants in France from 2020 to 2035.
