EDF_REGISTRATION_DOCUMENT_2017
3.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIETAL INFORMATION − HUMAN RESOURCES Offer sustainable, safe and efficient energy
creation of "ZnR Batteries", a spin-off from the EDF group dedicated to the ■ development of zinc-air batteries. This technology uses easily accessible and non-polluting materials to make rechargeable batteries avoiding the risks of overheating and even explosion. R&D in the field of sustainable development also has a Group dimension. For example, EDF Energy UK Centre forms an integral part of the Group’s R&D network. It is responsible for research and development activities in the UK and is involved in projects dealing with a large number of topics including nuclear, offshore wind, the integration of variable energy from renewable sources, smart cities, networks of the future, electrification of transport, electric vehicles, energy efficiency, smart meters and digital innovation. In the area of decarbonisation of energy practices, for example R&D UK: contributes to the government’s “Smart Systems and Heat” programme, which ■ aims to draw up a roadmap and to demonstrate innovative technologies and business models that would supply low-carbon heat to 28 millions homes in 2050; develops large-scale demonstrators of “vehicle to grid” (V2G) in order to ■ evaluate the ancillary services provided to the grid by electric vehicles and the new sources of revenue for consumers allowing them to improve the business model and accelerate the development of EVs. Synergies are developed with the EDF group’s R&D Department. For example, EDF Energy UK Centre manages the “Offshore Wind” project for the whole Group. It has also carried out an analysis, together with EDF R&D, of the functioning of the UK electricity system for a high degree of penetration of variable renewable energy. This study threw light on the impact of different market designs and incentive mechanisms for renewables on the safety of the system and on the revenues from the various production technologies. kilowatt hours or euro and to be informed about eco-friendly gestures to lower their consumption and reduce their bill; since May 2017, all EDF customers have been receiving the “Bilan Ma Conso & ■ Moi”, a personalised consumption report, as well as an annual summary of their bills. This report is sent in either digital or paper form. 2017 also saw the launch of Electriscore. This online platform guides Internet users in their purchase of high-performance electrical appliances. In addition, to help private individuals carry out energy renovation work in their homes, EDF launched its “Prime Energie” digital platform in 2017. The website www.prime-energie-edf.fr shows Internet users how to obtain subsidies to help finance the work they want to do. The website edf.fr also offers several tools to assist with renovation plans: for example, several simulators allow Internet users to measure their home’s ■ energy label, estimate the cost of their renovation plans and find out if they can get any help to finance them; in that same area, under the heading “Find a Pro”, the EDF Home Solutions ■ Partners page, one can consult the opinions of other customers. Finally, the EDF Pulse&You platform enables EDF to construct future products and offers with the help of internet users. Since the launch of this platform in 2016, more than 6,000 Internet users have taken advantage of it and have shared more than 40,000 contributions. Many of these contributions have focused on testing and improving connected objects that will improve consumer comfort in future. Objects such as the “Hydrao” connected shower head, which is designed to save water and energy, were offered with the help of ten start-up partners.
In 2017 the commitment of EDF’s R&D was further strengthened by various actions in the area of sustainable development, as shown by the following examples. Preparation and launch of two new research programmes: the “Biodiv’” project, ■ developed in support of Corporate Social Responsability Goal no. 6 “A positive approach to biodiversity” and constituting one of EDF Lab’s most ambitious projects, with an investment of more than €5 million per year to make biodiversity a trump card for responsible electricity production integrated with its region; a project to combine artificial intelligence and environmental databases so as to generate new knowledge, new methods and new tools for anticipating and taking into account global changes including; participation in the European EU-SysFlex project launched in November 2017, for ■ which EDF R&D provides the technical coordination. This programme aims to demonstrate the potential for integrating a high degree of variable renewable energy into a robust electricity system. To do so, the optimisation and coordinated management of flexibility services (centralised and decentralised storage, demand, services of conventional and renewables-based units, etc.) will be developed and tested at six innovative demonstrator sites spread around Europe; Implementation by the R&D Applied Meteorology group of an internal Weather ■ Service in support of all the Group entities confronted by the impacts of climate change: provision of localised data adapted to needs on climate change in the 21 st century, dynamic processing and analysis tools, support from experts on climate related issues; establishment of a new “Regions & Circular Economy” R&D group whose ■ research focuses on making the most of resources by optimising the integration of local multi-energy systems and soil and waste management; INNOVATIVE CUSTOMER OFFERS 3.2.1 In an evolving energy market marked by digitisation and inter-connectivity, development of intelligent systems, intensification of competition and the emergence of disruptive players, providing innovative service is a strategic challenge for meeting our customers’ expectations (see materiality issue no. 4, Innovative customer offers). B2C market In France, the EDF subsidiary ENR markets the “Mon Soleil et Moi” self-consumption offer, which is a response to the desire of some of our customers to take an active role in their energy use by producing and consuming electricity produced by photovoltaic panels, Since the end of 2016, Sowee has marketed its connected Station to private users. It is an object and application specially designed to manage energy consumption, optimise comfort, and control everyday connected objects remotely. Combined with the Sowee natural gas and electricity range, the connected Station allows Sowee customers to use a service to monitor their individual gas and electricity heating to the nearest euro or degree and monitor their energy consumption everyday. In October 2017, EDF launched the “Gamme Vert Électrique”, a range of green electricity offers that focuses on Private Users who wish to contribute to energy transition and is also a response to new ways of using electricity. The e.quilibre solution is accessible from the customer accounts section of edf.fr and on the EDF & MOI app and currently has more than two million users. In 2017, new solutions were added to make customers more aware of ways to save energy and encourage their participation in monitoring them: “Mon fil d’Actu”, on the EDF & MOI app, allows customers with a Linky ■ communicating meter, to monitor their day-to-day electricity consumption in 3.2
OFFER SUSTAINABLE, SAFE AND EFFICIENT ENERGY
160
EDF I Reference Document 2017
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online