France’s EDF looks to India for EV, battery storage and hydrogen fuel cell tech

The French renewable energy and zero-emissions markets are taking off as the utility looks to Indian opportunities.

EDF, a French utility company, has set its sights on hydrogen fuel cell tech opportunities in India. The utility is also focused on the Indian space for battery storage and EV charging infrastructure technologies.

EDF is focused on its Pulse India program and the opportunities it has to offer through renewable energy.

Among these opportunities include those in hydrogen fuel cell tech, battery storage, and even EV charging infrastructures. These are areas that have reached quite mature levels within France’s own market. As a result, the utility is looking beyond its own country’s borders to discover areas in which there is still substantial room for development. Decarbonizing the Indian energy sector stood out as one of those areas where it saw considerable value.

As a result, EDF India director and country head Harmanjit Nagi explained, they are working to understand the specific use areas for the technologies they have to offer through their Pulse India program for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The utility is examining the various business opportunities available to it within the Indian market. This could allow the French company to apply its EV charging infrastructure as well as battery storage technology and hydrogen fuel tech to align with the company and the country’s intentions for a post-COVID-19 economy.

EDF is examining both the hydrogen fuel cell tech market as well as that of battery storage space.

“We are also exploring opportunities in the hydrogen fuel market and battery storage space, such as, zinc and molten salt storage since we feel these technologies support the post-Covid-19 economy that is more decarbonised,” said Nagi.

This isn’t EDF’s first step into India from France. The utility has already started the implementation of about 5 million smart meters across the South Asian country as a component of that nation’s government’s push to convert 250 million conventional meters into smart prepaid meters by next year.

Nagi pointed out that EDF is considering a number of smart metering and distribution tenders in Uttar Pradesh, Tripura, and Madhya Pradesh. It is paying attention to opportunities for smart meter installation, such as Tripura’s upcoming tender for 1,000,000 smart meters, but also those for battery storage, but also hydrogen fuel cell tech implementation.