Research and development
As a centre of technical excellence, EDF research and development is helping Britain achieve net zero.
Research, development and innovation are at the heart of EDF
Our vision is: “Accelerating the transition to a sustainable, low carbon society through the development and testing of new technologies and business models.”
EDF R&D UK is advancing research in the fields of Low Carbon Generation (supporting existing nuclear, nuclear new build and renewables), Modelling and Simulation, Environment and Natural Hazards, Energy System Design, Smart Cities, Local Energy Systems, Energy Storage & Efficiency and Smart Digital Technology.
By coupling the advances in science and engineering with the emergence of new digital innovations EDF R&D UK is providing groundbreaking solutions to policymakers, partners and customers in order to realise our vision.
The latest R&D projects at EDF
Waste & Decommissioning Programme
Here at the R&D UK Centre we're always looking for ways to be innovative. A great example of this is the Waste and Decommissioning R&D programme. It was developed to further our understanding of the UK’s Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) decommissioning programme. We will deliver the tools and techniques that support engineering solutions in four key areas including defuelling and waste management.
Crack propagation studies for AGR reactors
There has been a long-held understanding that the graphite in the reactor cores of EDF’s seven Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactors would change over time. There are two main changes we expect to see as the graphite ages; these are cracking and weight loss. We cannot replace or repair it so we have been working over many years to better understand and prepare for this and to support their continued operation.
Project LEO
The Local Energy Oxfordshire project (LEO) is a demonstrator to test the local energy market across Oxfordshire, allowing more integration of local renewable energies to support the distribution network infrastructure, and develop innovative and flexible energy systems for heat, transport and electricity uses.
Exciting new approach to measuring energy efficiencies of homes
Space heating represents the majority (60%) of the total domestic energy consumption in the UK, most of which is supplied by fossil fuels. Improving the thermal efficiency of houses is therefore crucial to reducing both energy bills and carbon emissions. The current best practice to measure the energy performance is a co-heating test which is obtrusive and costly, and requires the home to be unoccupied for around two weeks. The R&D UK Centre has been working with the University of Oxford; to design a completely non-intrusive measurement alternative approach that is based on the ‘Deconstruct’ model.
Teesside Offshore Wind Farm
EDF R&D UK is leveraging access to the EDF Energy Renewables Offshore Wind Farm at Teesside to trial new innovations in blade inspection, corrosion assessment, mapping of biofouling, maintenance data analytics and safety. These technologies will provide both a better operation and maintenance regime and lessons learnt that will help support overall cost reduction in the offshore wind sector.
Exciting new drone project by Cranfield University and EDF
An innovative new project recently announced will see Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) used in the early detection of marine ingress events near coastal industries, including nuclear power stations. It will be delivered by Cranfield University and EDF, along with partners SME Caintech and the Smith Institute. There will be funding support from The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
Meet the EDF R&D team in the UK
4 teams
70 full-time researchers, 40 PhD students and over 15 different nationalities
Based across 4 locations
Digital Innovation team
The Digital Innovation team is leading the company’s research into cutting-edge digital technologies. Their aim is to explore how digital can improve the operational safety and efficiency of EDF's fleet of power stations and transform the way customers use energy. A constant focus is the use of technology to enable the sustainable use of energy. Current priorities include artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality and blockchain.
Nuclear team
The Nuclear team manages and delivers a portfolio of programmes supporting the safety, performance and life extension operation of the existing nuclear fleet in the UK; the preparation of its decommissioning plan; and the development of new build projects, starting with Hinkley Point C project. The team acts as an internal centre of expertise in Modelling & Simulation and Natural Hazards & Environment.
Renewables team
The newly formed Renewables team, a multi-disciplinary team, provides support to EDF at a Group level in Offshore Wind, Onshore Wind and Marine Energy. Their aim is now to apply and expand skills to help EDF succeed in its Renewable projects across the world and reach its 2030 targets. The key priority is to help reduce costs of Renewables.
Smart Customers team
The Smart Customers team covers the key research areas of Global and Local Energy Systems; People, Processes & Buildings and Data Acquisition. They undertake research and develop demonstration projects in the fields of new market and system design, such as peer to peer trading and smart grids; system flexibility and energy storage; smart cities; electric and autonomous vehicles; low carbon heat and smart homes and businesses.
Collaborations, academic partners and research
The BOSS Project
EDF R&D UK collaborates with numerous Public Organisations. For example, the BOSS project is an Innovate UK technology innovation project led by us, in partnership with York City Council and two Small and Medium Enterprises Route Monkey and Connected Energy, a subsidiary of Future Transport Systems. The project explores a system that enables site-based optimisation of energy usage and exploitation of off-peak energy tariffs.
EDF R&D UK has numerous Academic Institution partners including Imperial College London, the University of Manchester, the University of Bristol, University College London and the University of Strathclyde. Each year we hold a Postgraduate Researcher Event (PRE) in collaboration with these institutions.
With Industry partners such as, National Nuclear Laboratory, Hitachi, Met Office, Rolls-Royce, Energy Technologies Institute and Big Innovation Centre, we strive to create innovative and reliable partnerships that deliver value and facilitate collaboration.
Our research publications
The Research staff in our teams Smart Customers, Renewables, Nuclear and Digital Innovation, have had numerous academic papers published on a variety of interesting technical topics.
Find out more
Blue Lab, the EDF Energy innovation accelerator
We’re here to make ideas and innovations come to life. If you have an idea - big, small or simple - one that could help shape the future of better energy, we’d love to hear from you.
Our education programmes
Inspiring young people is at the heart of our educational strategy, and it is through a number of educational programmes we help children understand that low carbon, secure and affordable energy supply is vital for the future.
