EDF (Électricité de France) is a global, integrated energy company, one of the world’s largest electricity producers, and the largest renewable energy producer in Europe. With 140 GW of generation capacity across more than 30 countries, EDF generates, transports, distributes and sells electricity to 38 million customers worldwide, and most of that electricity has low or no carbon emissions.
EDF has significant operations in France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium, and North and South America. The EDF Group is active in the entire value chain of the electric industry, including R&D, project development, generation, trading, transmission, distribution, sales, and services. Recently, a marked increase in the use of renewables is bringing change to its electricity generation operations. EDF offers products and advice to help residential customers manage their electricity consumption, to support the energy performance of its business customers, and to help local authorities find sustainable solutions. The company is a leader in low carbon and renewable technologies, and it partners with start-ups, corporations, and universities to develop and deliver competitive solutions that successfully result in sustainable growth and climate protection.
EDF Innovation Lab has two key missions: first, to explore, analyze and research trends and disruptive technologies for EDF Group in North America, leveraging the innovation of start-ups and building partnerships to drive innovation for the group; and second, to develop and test new markets, innovative businesses and services, to support EDF Group’s growth in decentralized, data-driven and low-carbon energy sectors. EDF Innovation Lab hopes to leverage Greentown’s community to find and work with new partners driving the low-carbon transition.
To this end, they work in partnership with academic, industrial, financial and start-up stakeholders across North and South America. Previously, they have supported their business units in partnering with, and eventually acquiring, the start-up PowerFlex (EV charging and Rooftop solar optimization), along with partnering and investing, in the start-up Cleartrace (tracing renewable energy sources).