Gaz de France was founded in 1946 by the French government with its sister company Électricité de France (EDF). Following the liberalisation of the European energy markets, Gaz de France has also entered the electricity sector and has developed a combined natural gas-electricity offer. The company`s capital was partially listed on the Paris Stock Exchange in July 2005, bringing in 2.5 billion euros to the French government. [3] The company also operates in North America and Latin America through its Suez Energy International unit, as well as in other European and Asian countries. With the stated objective of reaching a total production capacity of 10 GW by 2013, three gas-fired thermal power plants are currently at various stages of development in Fos-sur-Mer, Montoir-de-Bretagne and Saint-Brieuc, as well as a solar panel project in Curbans. [46] On 24. In April 2015, GDF Suez announced that it was changing its name to “ENGIE” in order to expand its international presence internationally. Gérard Mestrallet, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said that this new name is a symbol to meet the challenges of the energy transition and accelerate the Group`s development. [31] The subsidiary International Power becomes Engie Energy International. In September 2016, ENGIE invested in Heliatek, a German company developing pioneering technologies in organic photovoltaics. The group also acquired 100% control of La Compagnie du Vent in March 2017 and a 30% stake in Unisun, a Chinese solar PV company, in April 2017. [64] [65] The company, founded on July 22, 2008 by the merger of Gaz de France and Suez, dates back to the Universal Suez Canal Company, founded in 1858 to build the Suez Canal. 10.
In August 2010, the company announced the merger of its GDF SUEZ Energy International Business Unit and its UK and Turkey operations with International Power. The acquisition created the world`s largest independent power producer, and the expanded company retained International Power`s listing on the London Stock Exchange and was 70% owned by GDF Suez. [22] [23] [24] ENGIE was led from 2016 to 2020 by Isabelle Kocher, who has greatly transformed the company since 2016, notably through the decision to lose interest in coal activities and massive investments in renewable energies and services for the energy transition. In 2019, Isabelle Kocher announced the company`s strategic plan for 2019-2021, with the objective of becoming a global leader in the low-carbon transition. Strategic change includes accelerating investments in renewable energy and focusing on high value-added services for customers. On February 25, 2006, French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin announced the merger of the water, waste management and energy company Suez and the energy company Gaz de France to create the world`s largest liquefied natural gas company. [4] As the French State owns more than 80% of Gaz de France, a new law had to be adopted to allow the merger. While Nicolas Sarkozy opposed for several months the Villepin government`s plan to merge the two companies, preferring a tripartite agreement with the Italian Enel, which would retain a majority stake for the State[5], he then accepted the government`s proposal. [6] ENGIE is a French multinational energy company based in La Défense, Courbevoie, active in the sectors of energy transition, electricity production and distribution, natural gas, nuclear, renewable energies and oil. In December 2010, GDF SUEZ became the main founding member of “Medgrid”[25], a consortium of more than twenty public services, network operators, equipment manufacturers, financial institutions and investors; which will implement the “Medgrid Project”, a French renewable energy initiative within the framework of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM).
The project, planned in North Africa, aims to promote and develop a Euro-Mediterranean electricity grid with an installed production capacity of 20 GW, including 5 GW for export to Europe. With the Desertec project initiated by Germany[26], the Medgrid would serve as the backbone of the European super-grid. [27] [28] In November 2016, ENGIE signed an agreement with the Moroccan energy company Nareva. The two companies plan to develop power facilities in North and West Africa that will produce 5,000 and 6,000 megawatts respectively. Planning will take place between 2020 and 2025. [56] Prior to GDF Suez`s proposed merger in 2006, the company existed as two separate French multinationals – Suez S.A. and Gaz de France. In May 2019, ENGIE and Portuguese energy company EDP announced the future creation of a 50-50 offshore wind joint venture, with a total of 1.5 gigawatts (GW) under construction and 4 GW under development. [66] ENGIE also produces electricity in a number of countries other than France.