Research, development and innovation are at the heart of EDF Energy
EDF Energy Research and Development (R&D UK) is a centre of technical excellence whose main purpose is helping to build a brighter energy future for the UK.
Our vision is: “Accelerating the transition to a sustainable, low carbon society through the development and testing of new technologies and business models.”
EDF Energy R&D UK is currently 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 Energy R&D UK is providing ground breaking solutions to policy makers, partners and customers in order to realise our vision.
The potential of blockchain technology
In this short animation, learn how blockchain works and what EDF Energy Research and Development is currently exploring with its emerging technology.
What we do
Latest news
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R&D UK to lead electric vehicles project for new vehicle-to-grid models
R&D UK is proud to be leading a consortium for a new electric vehicles project, known as V2GO. Co-funded by the Office for Low Emissions Vehicles, The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and delivered by Innovate UK, the project will develop new disruptive vehicle-to-grid models and technologies. Further information here.
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R&D UK is helping to provide early warning systems
R&D UK is helping to prevent jellyfish interfering with the water intake systems at nuclear power stations. Working with Plymouth Marine, R&D UK is using cutting-edge technology to predict jellyfish blooms and avoid power-plant interference. Further information here.
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R&D UK has signed a 5-year Strategic Collaboration Agreement with BRE Group
EDF Energy R&D UK has signed a 5-year Strategic Collaboration Agreement with BRE Group. The collaboration will be on a wide range of topics; the connectivity of wireless devices in the home and communications protocols, advanced energy efficiency technologies, Building Information Modelling (BIM), home energy storage and the electrification of heat and transport.
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EDF Energy R&D UK to trial a local, urban peer to peer energy trading platform in the UK
R&D UK has been selected to develop a project as part of the OFGEM regulatory sandbox. Leading a consortium with Electron, PassivSystems, Repowering London and University College London, R&D UK is trialling a local energy market based on a peer-to-peer energy trading platform. The platform will allow residential customers to control and manage their own low carbon energy supply, increasing auto-consumption and reducing their energy costs. Further information here.
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R&D UK leading on ETI Natural Hazards project
The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) are producing a set of guidelines to improve the understanding of threats to UK infrastructure from natural hazards such as extreme wind, flooding and hail. Led by the EDF Energy R&D UK and supported by the Met Office and Mott MacDonald, the guide will be made available to industry, academia and individuals by the of 2018 through the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE). Further information here.
Our latest projects
We're always working on new and innovative projects with our numerous partners: Google Glass, Sim4Blocks, EnerGware to name a few.
Who we are
" At EDF Energy R&D UK, we have a single common focus: local delivery of global value. Through high-end expertise and services, we support all EDF Energy business units to successfully tackle short and mid-term challenges, while exploring future low carbon technologies and opportunities for the benefit of our business in the UK, EDF Group and the general public more broadly."
- Xavier Mamo, Director of EDF Energy Research & Development.
We're based across 4 different locations and are a growing centre with:
- - 70 full time researchers
- - 40 PhD students
- - Over 15 different nationalities
Receiving funding from:
- - EDF Energy Business Units
- - EDF Group
- - Corporate activities
- - Public funding in the UK & Europe.
Who we are working with
EDF Energy 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.
The BOSS Project
EDF Energy 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.
Further information
Innovation blogs
Our academic work
