EDF installed 1 GW of solar, wind and storage in 2022

Through its PowerFlex affiliate, EDF deployed 76.7 MW of solar and 9.4 MWh of storage projects.

January 31, 2023 Michael Schoeck

The Palen Solar site.

Image: EDF Renewables

EDF Renewables North America, the U.S. project development arm of French utility Électricité de France SA, deployed 1.05 GW of wind, solar and storage assets in 2022. EDF’s grid-scale team commissioned 922.4 MW while its distribution power team delivered 9 projects totaling 56 MW.

EDF’s onsite solutions team, through affiliate PowerFlex, completed 76.7 MWp of solar, 9.4 MWh of energy storage and 2,606 new EV charging installations.

“I’m very proud of our team’s ability to deliver this scale of renewable energy projects in light of the many challenges during the year around import restrictions, supply chain constraints and increased cost of capital,” said Tristan Grimbert, president and chief executive officer, EDF Renewables. “We launch into 2023 with 1.2 gigawatts (GW) in construction and nearly 8 GW in late-stage development.”

One EDF project which entered commercial operations in December was Arrow Canyon, a 275 MW solar plus 91 MWh/5-hr storage project whose offtake client is NV Energy. Located on the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians Reservation, Arrow Canyon will benefit the Moapa Tribe and local community over its operating life through land lease, tax and other payments.

In August, EDF Renewables achieved commercial operations for a series of four projects at its Palen Solar site. The projects combine for a total capacity of 620 MW of solar and 50 MW/ 200 MWh of energy storage. The site is administered by the Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

The Palen Solar projects are estimated to bring an average local spend to Riverside County, Calif., of $24,000 per month during construction. Combined the projects create enough energy to power up to 217,000 average California homes.

In December, Munich RE/MEAG acquired a 50% interest in two projects, Maverick 6 and 7, representing 310 MW of solar and 50 MW / 200 MWh of battery storage of the combined Palen Solar projects.

In June, EDF Renewable revealed three solar projects with co-located energy storage were awarded contracts by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The projects represent nearly 40% of the 2.4 GW awarded as part of NYSERDA’s 2020 Renewable Energy Standard Solicitation, and 170 MW of the capacity was awarded as part of the 2018 solicitation.

All three N.Y. community solar projects are expected to reach commercial operations by the end of 2025:

Columbia Solar Energy Center: 350 MW with 20 MW of co-located storage sited on approximately 2,000 acres in the towns of Columbia and Litchfield, Herkimer County.
Ridge View Solar Energy Center: 350 MW with 20 MW of co-located storage sited on approximately 2,000 acres sited in the town of Hartland, Niagara County.
Rich Road Solar Energy Center: 240 MW with 20 MW of co-located storage sited on approximately 1,500 acres in the town Canton, St. Lawrence County.

EDF Renewables, the utility’s global development business, is active in 20 countries with an installed global capacity of 8.9 GW as of mid-2020, with wind being the largest sector, followed by solar and storage. It plans to double its renewable capacity by 2030, from 28 GW (including hydro) to 50 GW, as part of its strategic project “CAP 2030”.

Paris-based Électricité de France has a $50.9 billion market capitalization and operates over 120 GW of power generation assets across Europe, South America, North America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

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