Monday March 25, 2019, at on the occasion of the official visit to France by Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, EDF concluded two agreements for low carbon projects in China. The first formalizes the partnership established with the Chinese electrician China Energy Investment Corporation (CEI) with a view to the joint realization of two offshore wind projects in China. The Dongtai IV and V offshore wind projects represent a total capacity of 500 MW and will be the EDF group's first offshore projects in China. The second agreement, signed with the electrician Huadian, concerns the operation of a heating and air conditioning network in the city of Wuhan.
EDF gains a foothold in the offshore wind market in China
The cooperation agreement signed with China Energy Investment, one of the leading industrial players in the Chinese electricity market, concerns an investment by EDF in the Dongtai IV and V offshore wind projects, located off the coast of Jiangsu province, north of Shanghai. Construction of Dongtai IV is underway; that of Dongtai V will begin in 2019. Subject to the signing of final contracts, the two partners will build and operate a total installed capacity of 500 MW which will be put into service gradually by 2021.
With 3.8 GW of offshore wind power in operation, China represents a promising market which should continue to grow rapidly to represent almost half of the world's fleet by 2030 with 50 GW in operation.
The EDF group, via its subsidiary EDF Renewables, is a recognized player in offshore wind power around the world, with more than 500 people dedicated to offshore projects covering all development, construction and operation activities. The Group operates or develops 5.3 GW of offshore wind farms and provides operation and maintenance for 500 MW of them.
Overall, the EDF group currently operates more than 13 GW of gross wind and solar energy in France and around the world, including more than 310 MW in China.
Agreement for the operation of a heating and air conditioning network in the city of Wuhan
EDF and the electrician Huadian have signed a cooperation agreement to optimize the performance of the heating and air conditioning network in a district of the city of Wuhan (central China). Ultimately, this network should supply heating to 100,000 customers and air-condition 500,000 square meters of offices. The signatories will study together the integration of intelligent energy management tools already deployed by the EDF group on the heat network of the city of Sanmenxia.
Jean-Bernard Lévy, Chairman and CEO of the EDF group, declared: “The agreements signed today consolidate EDF's positions in China, a strategic country for the Group's international development. EDF is today present in all its main businesses, which are all levers to support China's energy ambitions and the reduction of its CO emissions.2 : nuclear, renewables and energy services. As part of EDF’s CAP 2030 strategy, the group aims to triple its activities outside Europe.”
EDF in China
Present in China for more than 35 years, the EDF group operates in several segments of the energy market:
Nuclear : as part of a joint venture with China General Nuclear power corporation (CGN), the Group has built and operated, since December 2018, the first of the two EPR reactors at the Taishan nuclear power plant (3.5 GW). The second EPR (Taishan 2) is currently in the testing phase with a view to commissioning in 2019. The plant will provide low-carbon electricity to around 5 million Chinese consumers. EDF also provides assistance to the CGN group for the operation of its entire fleet.
Renewable energies: In July 2016, EDF Renewables acquired a majority share (80 %) in the company UPC Asia Wind Management (AWM), which develops and builds wind projects in China. The Group diversified its activities in distributed solar in 2018 with the creation of a joint venture with the company ACC aimed at developing solar-roof solutions for industrial customers. EDF Renewables in China has more than 413 MW of gross wind and solar energy under construction or in operation in 2019.
Energy services : EDF has operated a heating network since 2016 which supplies 2 million square meters of housing in the city of Sanmenxia (Henan province). In the neighboring town of Lingbao, EDF is building a 35MW biomass cogeneration plant which will provide heat and electricity. On the tropical island of Hainan (southern China), the Group has started work to build an air conditioning network which will supply tourist complexes. Through its subsidiary specializing in public lighting Citelum, EDF manages 100,000 light points in the city of Kunming (southwest China).
Thermal: EDF owns 49 %s from FZPC (JV with a subsidiary of Datang) which built and operates the Fuzhou “ultra-supercritical” coal-fired power plant. This technology ensures better efficiency (~44 % for Fuzhou) and limited environmental impact. Unit 1 was commissioned at the end of 2015 and unit 2 in April 2016. EDF holds stakes in two other companies operating thermal power plants.
About EDF
A major player in the energy transition, the EDF group is an integrated energy company, present in all businesses: production, transport, distribution, trading, energy sales and energy services. Leader in low-carbon energies in the world, the Group has developed a diversified production mix based on nuclear energy, hydraulics, new renewable energies and thermal energy. The Group participates in the supply of energy and services to approximately 39.8 million customers(1), including 29.7 million in France. In 2018, it achieved a consolidated turnover of 69 billion euros. EDF is a company listed on the Paris Stock Exchange.
(1) Customers are counted at the end of 2018 by delivery site; a customer can have two delivery points: one for electricity and another for gas.
CONTACTS
EDF Press: +331 40 42 46 37
EDF Renewables press: +331 40 90 48 22 / 49 46
Investor Analysts: +331 40 42 40 38