A powerful cross-border partnership between Finland’s Wärtsilä and France’s EDF Renewables is helping the UK take major steps toward its clean energy goals. Combining Nordic battery innovation with French renewable energy expertise, the two companies are showcasing how international cooperation can deliver tangible progress in the global transition to net zero.
Accelerating Storage Deployment in the UK
As of mid-2025, Wärtsilä and EDF Renewables UK & Ireland are jointly delivering one of the UK’s most ambitious battery energy storage portfolios. The partnership includes eight strategically located sites, totaling 404.5 MW / 709 MWh of capacity. These projects support the UK’s legally binding target to fully decarbonize its power system by 2035 and provide critical flexibility to an increasingly renewables-dependent grid.
Recent achievements include the commissioning of the Sundon (50 MW / 100 MWh) and Bramford (57 MW / 114 MWh) storage facilities. Two more—Indian Queens and Bredbury—are under construction, expected to be online by 2026.
Technical and Strategic Synergy
EDF Renewables, part of the EDF Group, leads project development and grid integration, deploying storage to complement its wind and solar assets. Its operational expertise allows these assets to generate grid services like frequency response and energy arbitrage, improving both resilience and revenue generation.
Wärtsilä’s contribution includes turnkey battery systems, performance guarantees, and its proprietary GEMS energy management platform. GEMS gives EDF real-time visibility and control over system performance, enabling data-driven decision-making and market optimization. Long-term service agreements ensure consistent performance across all eight sites.
This combination of French and Nordic capabilities provides both technical excellence and commercial efficiency—key ingredients for scalable, future-proof energy infrastructure.
Commercial Significance
In 2024, Wärtsilä’s battery business generated approximately €1 billion—about 15.5% of its total revenue. EDF Renewables contributed €2.15 billion to the EDF Group, representing around 1.8% of its global revenue. Though exact revenue from their UK partnership is undisclosed, EDF likely accounts for a significant portion—potentially 10% or more—of Wärtsilä’s energy storage income. That positions EDF as one of Wärtsilä’s most important energy storage customers in Europe.
This partnership is not just about shared contracts—it reflects a shared strategic direction. Both companies have expressed strong confidence in the continued global expansion of energy storage as a pillar of the clean energy transition.
Strategic Flexibility Amid Global Uncertainty
While both Wärtsilä and EDF Renewables have exposure to the U.S. energy market, neither is overly dependent on it—a key strength in light of recent political uncertainty. U.S. tariffs on clean energy equipment and political resistance to renewables under former President Trump have raised concerns about future policy direction.
Wärtsilä’s CEO Håkan Agnevall has acknowledged these risks but remains optimistic. “We believe demand for flexible energy capacity will continue due to structural trends,” he stated, pointing to new opportunities in data center energy solutions and regional diversification across Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific.
EDF Renewables, likewise, maintains a diversified global portfolio. Beyond the U.S., it is active in France, Germany, the UK, Brazil, Chile, India, and South Africa, and is investing in hybrid technologies like solar-plus-storage and green hydrogen.
Outlook: A Model for International Collaboration
The partnership between Wärtsilä and EDF Renewables is more than a commercial success—it’s a model of how Nordic-French cooperation can deliver strategic energy security and climate progress. With complementary strengths, shared ambitions, and a growing project pipeline, their alliance is positioned to scale well beyond the UK.
As Europe and the world continue to transition to cleaner power systems, this partnership underscores the value of resilient, innovative international collaborations. For both Wärtsilä and EDF, the future is increasingly electric—and increasingly global.
Photo: Wärtsilä & EDF Renewables
