EDF

The EDF Group, one of the leaders in the energy market in Europe, is an integrated energy company active in all the businesses: production, transport, distribution, energy selling and trading. The Group is the leading electricity producer in Europe. In France, it has mainly nuclear and hydraulic production facilities where 95% of the electricity output involves no CO2 emissions. EDF operates 1,200,000 km of low and medium voltage overhead and underground electricity lines and around 100,000 km of high and very high voltage networks. The Group is involved in supplying energy and services to more than 40 million customers around the world, including more than 28 million in France. The Group generated consolidated sales of € 58.9 billion (of which 42% in Europe excluding France) and net income from ordinary operations of € 4.2 billion in 2006. EDF is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange and is a member of the CAC 40 index.

Another main feature of the EDF Group is its involvement in research into climate change and new generation technologies in the energy area. This includes renewable energies and their impact on the network, conventional technologies such as nuclear, and the interaction between energy market and electric system constraint.

EDF R&D: The aim of the EDF’s R&D Division is to keep electricity costs competitive, prepare the generating facilities of the future, enhance the quality of supply while preserving the environment, as well as to develop innovative solutions with the customer in mind. The variety of these objectives has led EDF to set up a strong R&D function, including multidisciplinary knowledge, and with a balance between basic research and industrial applications.
Figures for EDF’s R&D activities in 2005:

• 1329 researchers of whom 27% women
• 96 teaching researchers, 55 PhD candidates
• Participating in 53 FP6 projects (7 co-ordinated by EDF)
• 4 main research sites: Clamart (France), Chatou (France), Les Renardières (France), Karlsruhe (Germany)