EDF Reaches an Important Milestone in the Implementation of Ecocombust
After a meeting on 24 January, EDF and the Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity Transition validated a work program prior to a decision on the Ecocombust project.
This work program is expected to qualify, by the fall of 2019, the technical tests, the environmental impact studies and the economic model of the project. At this date, subject to satisfactory technical, economic and environmental conclusions, and after continuing the exchanges with the State and local authorities, EDF will begin the industrialization phase for fuel fabrication from 2022.
The Ecocombust project is in line with the July 2017 Climate Plan, the National Low Carbon Strategy (SNBC) and the Multiannual Energy Program (EPP) of November 2018, which provide for the cessation of production. coal-based electricity by 2022 and the development of biomass resources. Ecocombust is the result of work begun in 2015 by EDF teams to study the development of a new type of biomass fuel initially intended to supply its coal-fired power plants.
The Ecocombust project consists in manufacturing an innovative and environmentally friendly fuel for the operation of heating or electricity production facilities currently using coal. The fuel fabrication would be done on site and would launch a new sector to recover wood waste that is not used today and is most often buried or landfilled.
In the context of securing the electricity supply of the north-west quarter, in particular Brittany, and if the RTE studies requested by the Government confirmed the need, if necessary until 2026, a part or the all of the biomass manufactured could be used to supply 80% of the current units to meet the needs of securing the electricity grid in the west of France during the peak hours of consumption. In this scenario, given both the strong coal substitution and the limited annual operating hours, annual CO2 emissions would be about 25 times lower than the current situation.
Jean-Bernard Lévy, Chairman and CEO of EDF, said: "EDF is delighted with this progress. Our teams remain fully mobilized to respond to requests from the state to qualify Ecocombust, a new type of innovative and environmentally friendly fuel. The validation of the Ecocombust work program allows EDF to pursue its mission and is fully in keeping with the framework laid down by multiannual energy programming. "
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