Engie facts for kids
Engie SA (pronounced "EN-jee") is a big French company that works with energy all over the world. Its main office is in La Défense, Courbevoie, France. Engie helps create and deliver electricity and natural gas. They also work with nuclear power, renewable energy (like solar and wind), and manage energy systems for cities and businesses.
Engie provides electricity to many countries in Europe and around the world. The company was formed on July 22, 2008, when two large French companies, Gaz de France and Suez, joined together. Engie's history goes back even further, to 1858, with the company that built the famous Suez Canal. In 2022, Engie had about 96,454 employees worldwide.
Engie's shares are traded on the Euronext stock exchanges in Paris and Brussels. The company has been working to use more renewable energy and offer services that help people use energy more wisely.
Engie headquarters in La Défense, Courbevoie, France
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| Société Anonyme | |
| Traded as | Euronext Paris: ENGI CAC 40 component |
| Industry | Electric utility |
| Predecessor | Gaz de France Suez |
| Founded | 22 July 2008 |
| Headquarters |
La Défense, Courbevoie
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Key people
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Catherine MacGregor (CEO) Jean-Pierre Clamadieu (Chairman) |
| Products | Natural gas production, sale and distribution, electricity generation and distribution, hydroelectricity, nuclear power, wind power, energy trading, Facilities Management and Business Services |
| Revenue |  €82.56 billion (2023) |
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Operating income
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 €9.5 billion (2023) |
| €2.21 billions (2023) |
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| Total assets | €194.64 billion (2023) |
| Total equity | €35.72 billion (2023) |
| Owner |
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Number of employees
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96,454 (2022) |
| Subsidiaries | GRDF GRTgaz Elengy Storengy Altiservice Engie Endel Engie Engie Ecova Engie Electrabel Engie Fabricom Engie Global Markets Engie Home Services Engie IT (Information et Technologies) SHEM Engie Lab Crigen Engie M2M Engie Réseaux Solairedirect Engie Impact Tractebel Culturespaces Engie Green La Compagnie du vent Électricité de Tahiti Smart4Power |
Contents
How Engie Started
The Companies Before Engie
Before Engie was formed in 2008, it existed as two separate big French companies: Suez S.A. and Gaz de France.
Suez had a very long history, going back almost 200 years. Its name came from the Compagnie universelle du canal maritime de Suez, which was founded in 1858 to build the Suez Canal.
Gaz de France was created in 1946 by the French government. It focused on gas. Later, it also started working with electricity.
Joining Forces: GDF Suez
In 2006, the French government announced a plan to merge Gaz de France and Suez. The goal was to create one of the world's largest companies dealing with liquefied natural gas (LNG).
This merger was a big step. It meant that the French government, which owned most of Gaz de France, would now own a smaller part of the new, larger company.
The new company, called GDF Suez, officially started on July 22, 2008. It became a huge utility company. The parts of Suez that dealt with water and waste became a new separate company called Suez Environment.
Becoming Engie
On April 24, 2015, GDF Suez changed its name to "Engie." This new name was chosen to show the company's focus on new energy challenges and its growth around the world.
Engie's Energy Focus
Engie has been changing its business to focus more on clean energy. They are reducing their work with fossil fuels and investing a lot in renewable energy sources.
Moving Towards Clean Energy
Since 2014, Engie has been making big changes. They are exploring less for fossil fuels like oil and coal. Instead, they are putting a lot of money into renewable energies such as solar power, wind power, geothermal energy, biomass, and hydroelectricity. They also focus on services that help people use energy more efficiently.
In 2015, Engie decided to stop building new coal power plants. They also planned to sell off about €15 billion worth of assets to invest in projects that produce less carbon. Engie also planned to invest €22 billion in renewable energies and services that help with energy use.
Future Plans
Engie's goal is to become a world leader in moving towards zero-carbon energy. This means they want to speed up their investments in renewable energy.
Engie plans to completely stop using coal. They aim to invest another €12 billion in renewable energy projects. This will help them add a lot more renewable energy production capacity.
Engie also wants to help large companies and cities reduce their carbon emissions. They believe this is a big new area for energy services. The company also plans to focus its activities on about 20 countries and 30 major cities, especially in Southeast Asia and Africa.
How Engie Works
Engie works in many areas of energy.
Producing Power
Engie generates electricity in many places.
Power in France
In France, Engie is the second-largest producer of electricity, after EDF. A large part of Engie's electricity comes from sources that don't produce CO2, like hydroelectricity and wind power. They also operate natural gas power plants.
Power Around the World
Engie also produces electricity in many other countries. For example, they are a leading producer in Belgium and the Netherlands. They are also a major non-government producer in Brazil and Thailand.
Engie uses different types of power plants, including thermal (heat-based), nuclear, wind farms, and hydroelectric plants.
Moving Away from Coal
Engie announced in 2015 that it would no longer build new coal-fired power plants. They have been selling off their coal power plants and closing others. For example, the Hazelwood Power Station in Australia closed in March 2017. By February 2019, Engie announced it would completely exit all coal activities.
Renewable Energy Sources
Engie is heavily invested in renewable energy. By the end of 2016, about 19.5% of its energy came from renewable sources. These include:
- Hydropower (from water)
- Solar energy (from the sun)
- Wind power (on land and offshore)
- Biomass (from organic materials)
- Geothermal energy (from the Earth's heat)
Engie has won many projects for solar and wind power in countries like India, Mexico, and Peru. They are also building a large solar park in South Africa.
In Brazil, Engie opened its largest international hydroelectric project in 2016. They also built their first international geothermal power plant in Indonesia.
In May 2019, Engie and a Portuguese company, EDP, announced they would work together on offshore wind projects. This shows their commitment to growing in this area.
Engie also owns and operates wind farms and gas-fired power stations in Australia. In June 2023, Engie and Belgium agreed to keep the country's nuclear reactors running for 10 more years.
Natural Gas Business
Engie is involved in the entire process of natural gas, from finding it to delivering it to customers. They have:
- The second-largest gas transportation network in Europe.
- The largest gas distribution network in Europe.
- One of the largest LNG (liquefied natural gas) businesses in the world.
Engie works with partners to supply gas around the world. They also use special ships to deliver LNG.
Energy Services
Engie provides many services to help businesses and cities use energy more efficiently and in environmentally friendly ways. About 90,000 of Engie's employees work in these services.
These services include:
- Engineering: Helping plan and manage energy projects.
- Installations and Maintenance: Setting up and taking care of electrical systems, air conditioning, and other equipment.
- Energy Efficiency: Finding ways to use less energy and reduce costs.
- Smart Cities: Developing systems for urban heating and cooling, and reducing the carbon footprint of buildings.
- Green Mobility: Supporting cleaner transportation like vehicles that run on natural gas or hydrogen, and charging stations for electric cars.
In March 2017, Engie bought EVBox, a company that supplies electric vehicle charging stations. Engie also works with universities to manage their energy sustainably.
Engie is owned by many different groups. The main owner is the French state, which owns about 23.64% of the company. Other owners include employees of the company, large investment firms like BlackRock, and other public and institutional investors.
How Engie is Organized
Engie organizes its work into different business areas and geographic regions.
Business Areas
Engie has four main business areas:
- Renewables: Focusing on clean energy sources like solar and wind.
- Energy Solutions: Providing services to help customers use energy better.
- Networks: Managing gas and electricity networks.
- Thermal & Supply: Dealing with traditional power generation and energy supply.
They also have a special group called Engie Impact, which helps large clients with their energy strategies.
Main Subsidiaries
Engie has several important companies that operate under its umbrella:
- GrDF: This company manages the natural gas distribution network in France. It builds, operates, and maintains the pipes that deliver gas to homes and businesses.
- Engie Cofely: This subsidiary focuses on energy efficiency and environmental services. They help buildings and businesses become more energy-efficient.
- Engie IT: This is Engie's information technology (IT) company. It handles all the computer systems and digital tools for the Engie group.
Key Facts and Figures
Here are some key numbers for Engie from 2019 and 2018:
- Total Revenue (2019): €60.1 billion
- Revenue by Region (2019):
* Europe: €47.3 billion * Latin America: €5.3 billion * North America: €4.5 billion * Asia and Oceania: €1.7 billion * Middle East: €1 billion * Africa: €0.2 billion
- Revenue by Activity (2019):
* Client Solutions: €21 billion * Networks: €6.6 billion * Thermal: €4.0 billion * Renewable Energy: €2.7 billion * Other activities: €25.8 billion
- Total Power Production Capacity (2018): 104.3 gigawatts (GW)
* Natural gas: 55% * Renewables: 27% * Coal: 7% * Nuclear: 6% * Other: 5%
- Electricity Produced (2018): 420 terawatt-hours (TWh)
- Number of Employees (2018): 171,100
- Employees by Region (2018):
* Europe: 137,200 * Latin America: 14,300 * Asia and Oceania: 6,700 * North America: 6,300 * Africa: 3,500 * Middle East: 3,100
- Employees by Activity (2018):
* Client Solutions: 119,350 * Networks: 22,500 * Other activities: 19,450 * Thermal: 5,200 * Renewable Energy: 4,600
Leadership
Engie is led by a team of executives and a board of directors. As of January 2021, Catherine MacGregor became the company's CEO. The board of directors has 13 members, including those appointed by shareholders, the French government, and employees.
See also
In Spanish: Engie para niños
