EDF contributes to Net Zero through innovation

On the occasion of the 2022 edition, Futura was able to meet Julien Villeret, director of innovation for EDF, and Maarten van Roon, the sales manager of a start-up in which the group has invested and which specializes in capture, use and carbon sequestration (CCUS).

Why is EDF investing so much in innovation and impact start-ups?

Julien Villeret: The world, environmental requirements, technologies are changing very quickly. To stay in the race and adapt to all these changes, we must innovate. Especially since our purpose it is the decarbonization of the world to reach the zero carbon emissions in 2050. Gold, and the international energy agency point out, we do not currently have 50% of the necessary technologies. Half of the technologies have yet to be invented to decarbonize the world in 2050. It is therefore essential for us to develop innovation to achieve this objective. And most of the innovation topics that we look at are around decarbonization, like Carbon8.

Maarten, can you tell us a few words about Carbon8?

Maarten van Roon: Our company innovates in capturestorage and use of CO₂. We operate in industrial sectors alongside players who emit them in their activities. Our innovation, a container in fact, is used to capture this CO₂combine it with waste to be able to make circular products that can be used in the construction of new buildings for example or bricks for houses.

Where are you in terms of the development of your start-up?

Maarten van Roon: We have just completed our Series A fundraising. Our technology is therefore proven at a marketable level. In addition to EDF, the group Vicat cement plant has also invested in our start-up and is currently using the first model of our technology at one of their sites. Our company is now looking to expand with new clients in other sectors to decarbonize and pick up broadcasts.

How and why did you choose to join?

Julien Villeret: We carry out a systematic work of identifying the best start-ups worldwide on our strategic topics. When we find, we dialogue, we really make a assessment [en français : “évaluation”, ndlr] depth of technology. We see if the start-up has an interest in working with EDF, to bring things to each other and if it is looking for funds to help it develop. And it is exactly this alignment of the planets that has been found with Carbon8, but also with our partner Vicat, as co-investor and user.

It is very important to already have high level customers who are attracted to the solution. Strategically, we are also looking for solutions that reduce complexity. The subject of CO₂ is complicated, difficult for customers to understand, so we are looking for solutions that make life easier for the customer. This is exactly what Carbon8 does. It’s a container, it’s plug and play, so we can very quickly decarbonize an industrial process, which would take much longer with usual technologies. That’s what interests us: technological acceleration and simplification.

Maarten van Roon: For us, what made the difference was being able to find strategic investors, the partner who adds much more than financing, who knows how to support start-ups. EDF is alongside many start-ups, and is also operational in the same sectors that we want to decarbonize, with a customer base where we could add value. So many strategic synergies on which we can rely and which can help us to grow the company and innovation.

Do you think the world is innovating enough to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow?

Julien Villeret: We can trust that everyone is aware of this. Are we confident that we will get there? Yes and no. Yes, because we put a lot of effort into it, from the heart, and EDF already produces low-carbon energy naturally because it is mainly nuclear and renewable. We are also trying to work with a lot of players to precisely accelerate, to go faster, with 270 million euros invested in start-ups and 600 million euros per year of R&D budget for scientific and technical development around those subjects. We are doing our part and we hope everyone will do the same.

Maarten van Roon: Being part of a start-up, you have to be very optimistic. I think yes, we can do it, but it will take a lot of solutions, different technologies in many sectors. And that’s why events like VivaTech is important to allow start-ups to expose themselves, to get in touch with investors, potential customers. It is this ecosystem that will be able to ensure that these start-ups can find scalingtherefore to grow to lower the price and ensure that it is adopted in many sectors.