EDF_REGISTRATION_DOCUMENT_2017

PRESENTATION OF EDF GROUP Research & development, patents and licences

market design and the emergence of local energy markets: this work involves ■ contributing to the definition of the future ground rules for the electricity and gas markets in the context of the emergence of distributed energy systems. The second category of work aims to improve the performance of electricity grids: R&D is working to improve the management of distribution network assets. ■ Studies are being carried out into the lifespan of materials. Predictive maintenance techniques are also being tested. These combine detailed knowledge of the behaviour of components and data and image processing techniques, with the aim of optimising maintenance cycles and detecting early signs of equipment failure; in 2017, R&D entered the pre-industrialisation phase for a new generation of ■ command and control and network management systems and distributed resources: the first components of dynamic, centralised and cyber-secure management tools, control terminals and new smart objects will be delivered with a view to being integrated into the industrial systems of the Group's entities and subsidiaries; another focus of R&D work is the impact of developing direct current for the ■ incorporation of renewable energies in terms of hybridisation of large alternative synchronous electricity systems, recognising that this development may profoundly change the fundamental technical and economic dynamics of electricity systems with the increased use of intermittent renewable energies. The third category of work aims to manage the transition of the electricity system to smart grids through the integration of intermittent renewable energies and new distributed resources such as energy storage and electric vehicle charging infrastructure: R&D work forms part of the joint European H2020 research programmes aimed ■ at developing solutions to integrate a high proportion of intermittent renewable energies in the European interconnected system. In 2017, EDF R&D notably became involved in the EU-SysFlex project aiming at building a flexibility roadmap at the European level, in partnership with Eirgrid and 32 other European partners, within the Plan4Res project. This aims at developing a range of tools and methods for the coordination and integration of European energy systems and in the TDX-ASSIST project for the coordination of data exchange between public distribution and network operators in the context of the European electricity market; R&D is developing and trialling new functionalities for coordinating the ■ distribution grid when decentralised production is used. This innovative coordination method makes it possible to maintain voltage on the high-voltage grid within its contractual range, on the basis of a grid status estimate, even when decentralised production resources are used; R&D is developing advanced tools to forecast intermittent renewable energy ■ consumption and production. It is working in partnership with weather forecasting organisations in order to develop meteorological benchmarks for the management of electricity systems. It is also developing tools to improve energy loss forecasts and audits on different geographical levels; R&D is pursuing work on the development of predictive network management ■ tools in the presence of intermittent renewable energy generation. Predictive management enables power flow arbitrations, generation injected by renewable energy installations and the unavailability of installations on the grids to be predicted. The functions developed for HVA grids are currently being extended to low-voltage grids; R&D provides its support in the deployment of Linky meters developed by Enedis; ■ it is also exploring the development of metering systems which will have to integrate the new patterns of activity in the electricity market and the new regulations; R&D is also experimenting with electricity use coordination systems based on the ■ Linky infrastructure. In particular, these experiments are making it possible to demonstrate the feasibility of load management and the new types of flexibility offered by the electric vehicle, distributed storage facilities and self-consumption solutions; R&D is also working towards the optimal integration of decentralised renewable ■ resources in small-scale grids with the objective of facilitating a transition to a local low-carbon electricity mix. Several micro-grid prototypes have been successfully implemented in island networks by EDF SEI with the support of EDF R&D; these enable renewable energy and storage facilities to interact with conventional means of generation. The work concerns in particular the

More generally, the goals of R&D activities in the field of electric vehicles (EVs) and rechargeable hybrid vehicles (RHVs) are as follows: supporting the development of this new use (monitoring initial experimentation; ■ standardisation; innovations with the potential to remove market barriers, such as wireless charging); naging integration with the electricity system (smart charging, dimensioning and ■ location of charging stations); developing mobility service resources (fleet supervision platform, charging station ■ operation software, smart charging stations for residential customers and resources to advise local authorities on mobility); preparing the integration of electric vehicles into local energy systems, with the ■ study of vehicle to grid (V2G) and vehicle to home (V2H) models. In particular, through partnerships with leading transport players (Renault, PSA, Toyota, Mitsubishi Motors, etc.). All of the studies carried out for the Smart Cities, Smart Building and Smart Factory have enriched the work carried out on local energy systems, which incorporates the development of specific tools for the design and operation of hot and cold heat networks for specialised subsidiaries. Preparing the electricity systems of the 1.6.2.2 future Energy transition towards a low-carbon economy in Europe primarily involves reducing the carbon footprint of electricity systems. This involves addressing new challenges for electrical systems: managing the intermittence of production sources that use renewable energies ■ and pushing back the limits of their inclusion in electrical systems; integrating new uses of electricity by optimising the production mix and grid ■ requirements; developing network transmission infrastructures and optimising electricity traffic ■ in Europe; optimising decentralised energy systems (demand-side management, ■ decentralised generation and storage, etc.) by integrating them into larger scale energy management systems; adapting the coordination of electricity systems in order to address a reduction in ■ inertia in a context of increasing use of power electronics in order to factor in patterns of use and new production sources; and, more generally, optimising investments in production and storage facilities, ■ in network infrastructures and energy efficiency and green energy solutions, having regard to the interest of the public and the competitiveness of electricity, without there being any significant increase in bills for customers, while also maintaining the quality and reliability of the electricity system. The trend towards more intelligent electricity systems, also known as smart grids, is one of the pivotal points in transitioning towards a low carbon energy economy in Europe. It raises not only technical, economic and regulatory issues, but over and above the integration of renewable energies and new uses, issues relating to the management of information for the various users of the grid and the need to control costs. R&D’s work can be divided into three main categories. The first category of work aims to anticipate the impacts of energy transitions and the emergence of decentralised energy systems on the development and management of electricity systems: energy transitions: this work involves developing an overview of changes in the ■ fundamental aspects of demand, potential disruptions in supply, energy mix choices and the conditions for implementing energy transition scenarios (financing, technologies and infrastructures);

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EDF I Reference Document 2017