In this interview, Béatrice Buffon highlights the latest renewable innovation and sustainable energy projects that EDF is currently developing in the Asia-Pacific region—and how partnerships across all sectors remains vital to propelling the low carbon energy transition.
1. What are EDF's recent initiatives to boost clean energy adoption and sustainable city developments in Asia?
A leader in renewable energy, EDF is continuing its international expansion. Last June, EDF and China Energy Investment Corporation joined hands for offshore wind projects in China, through a newly created joint venture company now building and operating 502 MW of offshore wind power projects.
In July, the EDF Renewables and Chinese Jinko Power Technology Co., Ltd consortium was awarded the 2 GWp Al Dhafra solar project in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Over the last six months, EDEN Renewables India, an equally owned joint venture between EDF Renewables and Total Eren, dedicated to the Indian solar photovoltaic market, has been awarded three solar photovoltaic projects for a total of 1.4 GWp in Rajasthan.
On top of solar and wind energy, EDF is a leader in hydropower. In Laos, we are currently operating a very significant hydropower plant, Nam Theun 2 (1,070 MW), with an ambitious environmental and social plan for local communities.
In addition, we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Lao People's Democratic Republic to develop a floating photovoltaic solar power plant on the Nam Theun 2 Hydraulic Reservoir. We are strengthening our worldwide development plan for large hydropower plants such as 2019 commissioning of Sinop (Brazil), ongoing construction of Nachtigal (Cameroon), as well as project developments in Asia (including Shweli 3 in Myanmar), Africa, and South America. Hydro can be the perfect complement to intermittent renewable energies and we are proposing solutions such as pumped storage hydropower plants and floating solar hybrid systems.
Following our successes in India and China, we are moving forward in wind and solar energy in Asia. In Fall 2020, we opened our subsidiary in Vietnam to carry on the development of two onshore wind projects. Indonesia will be our next investment, notably in hybrid systems like solar+battery and low carbon micro grids.
Gas to power, LNG to power, may also be a good transitional solution out of coal-fired generation for countries like Vietnam which are heavily dependent on coal. Gas to power is an alternative solution that can complement or even support the development of intermittent renewables, as the electricity system needs to be secured with steady generation assets, as long as high scale and competitive electricity storage is not available. In Vietnam, our MECO plant (PhuMy 2.2) demonstrates an impressive operational performance and we go forward with the development of our SonMy1 CCGT project.
Lastly, EDF is a world leader in nuclear power. Our 2 EPR reactors in Taishan, China, are meeting all generation expectations, and our Jaitapur Project in India is progressing.
2. What are the opportunities for smart grid developments in Asia to adapt the region's electricity networks for a more secure and sustainable energy future?
Smart grids are required to reduce the overall system cost and significantly contribute to network stability in order to deal with the increasing injection of intermittent renewable electricity. In France, Enedis, the French distribution grid and a 100% subsidiary of EDF, is aiming to install 35 million smart meters by 2021. This expertise is widely recognised abroad.
In India, where EDF has been selected to oversee the installation of five million Smart Meters, our team has successfully delivered the full end-to-end infrastructure, from the meter to the billing system of Bihar distribution companies. EDF has developed India’s first of its kind “Smart pre-paid metering solution”, with a prepaid mobile application that can be installed on the smart mobile phone by the end customer.
In Singapore, on the island of Semakau, in partnership with the Nanyang University of Technology, EDF successfully deployed the MASERA project that we presented at SIEW two years ago: Microgrid for Affordable and Sustainable Electricity in Remote Areas. It is the largest hybrid microgrid testbed and research platform in the tropics. Building on this success, we are developing two portfolio projects in Indonesia and Myanmar for microgrids that will reduce local pollution, increase reliability of supply and reduce electricity prices for end users.
EDF is also very active in deploying advanced energy management systems: our Lab in Singapore is developing such solutions on microgrids in South East Asia, and EDF has in recent years developed a portfolio of subsidiaries: like Dreev, a pioneer in smart charging and V2G aggregation for electric vehicle fleets; or Agregio already managing hundreds of megawatts of decentralised assets through their Virtual Power Plants. EDF’s e-Mobility pilot projects will be very useful, especially for places like Singapore, which set very ambitious goals to scale both on distributed solar as well as EVCs over the next decade.
3. In your view, what are the new innovations in the fields of renewables and carbon capture technologies that can help propel low carbon energy transition?
Alongside energy transition, low carbon energy for all is a crucial challenge to address. Don’t forget that 15% of the world's population, or around 1 billion people, mainly located in Southeast Asia and Africa, are without electricity today. Access to electricity is the energy revolution they are waiting for! The EDF Group proposes a range of off-grid and micro-grid solutions with the lowest levels of CO2 emissions. In Africa, EDF is a leading player on the solar home system market, giving access to electricity to more than 450,000 people.
These multiple challenges require partnerships across all sectors and an important innovation effort, coming from everywhere. EDF invests heavily in R&D, on average spending 528 million euros per year.
In 2020, EDF launched the EDF Pulse India contest in order to detect, recognise and highlight innovative Indian start-ups involved in three markets: “Sustainable smart living”, “Smart and resilient infrastructures”, and “E-mobility infrastructure”. This contest is a large success in India and will conclude next month with a Grand jury and final prize for three candidates. Partnering with industrial experts and start-ups is also our philosophy in Singapore, on themes like energy storage, urban planning, e-mobility, and smart-grids: we are participating in various tenders, R&D programmes and consultancy schemes to elaborate innovative solutions for a low carbon Singapore.
4. How do you see the global pandemic impacting the way governments and industry leaders collaborate to achieve a balance between energy resilience and decarbonisation of energy systems?
COVID-19 has been a highly disturbing crisis, but EDF has met its customers’ expectations and delivered the necessary performance and public services. Thanks to our business continuity plans in our generation units in Europe and Asia (MECO in Vietnam and NTPC in Laos), we have been able to provide essential electricity base-load and energy services during these difficult times.
Electricity is the most efficient and economical solution for decarbonising the economy, particularly by giving up direct fossil energy consumption in buildings, transportation and industry. Our development strategy worldwide is confirmed: EDF aims to double its worldwide capacity in renewable energy by 2030 to reach an installed capacity of 50 GW by 2030.
5. What are your thoughts on the SIEW 2020 theme: Creating a Low Carbon Energy Future Together?
The Singapore International Energy Week is a key event for all future energy stakeholders to discuss essential common challenges aiming at decarbonising the energy industry. I am honoured and proud to have chaired this year’s keynote on Energy Resilience and Low Carbon – two challenges which are at the heart of EDF’s concerns.
More globally, EDF’s “Raison d’être”, our sustainable development target of building a CO2 free energy future with electricity and innovative solutions and services, to help save the planet and drive wellbeing and economic development, is fully in line with the SIEW 2020 theme.
About BĂ©atrice Buffon, Group Senior Executive Vice-President, EDF International Division
Béatrice Buffon has been appointed as Executive Director in charge of EDF’s International Division, as of 9 February 2020. In addition, she now sits on the EDF Group Executive Committee.
BĂ©atrice Buffon began her career as Finance Manager at COGETHERM, an EDF subsidiary specialised in the development of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) projects. In 2001, she joined SIIF Energies, which later became EDF Renewables, where she would take up office as Project Director in 2003. Her activities focused on developing onshore wind farm and biomass projects, as well as offshore wind farm projects in France, Belgium and the United Kingdom. From 2007 to 2009, she undertook the functions of Deputy Executive Director of POWEO Renewable Energies.
She returned to EDF Renewables in 2010 as Director of Development for large-scale, ground-mounted solar power projects; then in 2011, she became Director of Development for Offshore Wind Power France. In April 2012, her team was awarded the contract for three offshore projects in France, representing a total generation capacity of 1500 MW. The development phase of these projects is now complete and, in August 2019, construction began of the first offshore wind farm in France, with a further two due to kick-off this year.
In June 2019, she and her teams were also awarded the contract for the construction and subsequent operation of the Dunkirk offshore wind farm in the Northern part of France. Her team is also working on a pilot project for a floating wind farm in the Mediterranean. In 2014, BĂ©atrice Buffon became Executive Vice President of EDF Renewables, in charge of renewable marine energies and a member of the EDF Renewables Executive Committee.
She is a graduate from both the École Polytechnique and the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées. She is Chevalier de l'Ordre National Du Mérite, a distinction awarded by the President of France for distinguished civil and military achievements.