On Wednesday, the list of the 120 most promising French companies, selected by the French government and the French Tech Mission, was announced. NW Group, France’s first energy transition unicorn, maintains its position in the Next40 program. This program selects the 40 most successful startups in the French ecosystem and highlights their status as spearheads of the national economy.

The French Tech Next40/120 Class of 2024 confirms NW’s position as a world-class technology leader. Selected on the basis of their economic performance, the 2024 laureates play a crucial role in the ecological transition, reindustrialization, health, food, mobility and energy.

We are proud to be included in the French Tech Next40 ranking for the second time, a distinction that confirms our commitment to the ecological transition. This recognition is also due to all the NW teams and our partners who work every day to develop our two innovative solutions, the JBox® and the IECharge®. NW is the only player that masters all the skills required to carry out its projects: developing, operating, financing and valuing. A dedicated digital infrastructure designed by our Engineers supports our growth. ”

As the first French unicorn of the energy transition, NW plays a crucial role in the ecological transition. Thanks to its unique combination of storage (JBox®) and high-power electric charging stations (IECharge®), a patented world-class innovation, NW is now the French leader in distributed energy storage with its JBox® units. With its IECharge® stations, NW is also the fifth French operator of electric charging stations above 150kW.

Today, NW operates and manages more than 500 MW of storage (JBox®) and more than 120 electric charging stations (IECharge®). These infrastructures aim to promote an energy transition accessible to all by supporting the development of renewable energies. They also provide affordable high-power charging for electric vehicles, with the most competitive rate in Europe at €0.30/kWh.

NW continues to grow in France and internationally, in Finland, Texas, Sweden and Italy. The Group has signed several major partnerships for the installation of its solutions, including with the Groupement Les Mousquetaires and Mobilians.

With the ambition to take concrete actions for the energy transition, Nidec, a world leader in stationary energy storage systems, and NW, the first French unicorn in the energy transition, are joining forces to deploy 2.5GWh of storage capacity in France by 2028. These future developments are part of the collaboration between Nidec and NW that began in 2018.

Two solid areas of expertise in the storage sector. Nidec is a specialist in the supply of customized electrical systems that improve energy efficiency, backed by over fifty years of experience. With more than 500 MW installed, NW is the French leader in energy storage.

Working together for the development of renewable energies… Today, Nidec is joining forces with NW to deploy 2.5 GWh of storage capacity in France over the next four years. With the growth of renewable energy, which is by nature intermittent, the power grid needs more flexibility. Energy storage meets this need.

… by offering French solutions. A large number of JBox® distributed energy storage units will be installed throughout France. Developed by NW since 2018, the JBox® is a solution based on lithium-ion battery technology. It takes the form of a plug-and-play container assembled at Nidec’s Saint-Etienne plant. These energy storage units provide frequency ancillary services to the power grid. The first deployments are planned for June so that these units can participate in the automatic frequency restoration reserve market, which will open at that time.

“We are very pleased to continue our collaboration with Nidec, our long-standing partner. These new projects are an important step in the development of our storage units in France. With its commitment to energy efficiency, Nidec shares NW’s vision of providing innovative technological solutions that make the energy transition accessible to all”.”

With a shared commitment to developing electric mobility and taking concrete action for the energy transition, Volvo Car France and NW, the first French unicorn in the energy transition and a pioneer in electric charging, have joined forces to install high-power electric charging stations in Volvo’s network dealerships.

Two converging ambitions. For Volvo, sustainable development is a strategic priority. The company has set itself the goal of selling only electric vehicles on the French market by 2026. NW, which is present in rural and suburban areas, intends to deploy its high-power electric charging stations to support this objective.

Ensuring the electrification of the regions. Available throughout the country, especially in rural and suburban areas, the IECharge® high-power charging stations are developed by NW. They are the result of a unique alliance between electric charging and distributed energy storage. At each of Volvo’s 126 distribution points, a study will be carried out on the deployment of IECharge® charging stations, at the request of Volvo’s dealers. At each site, the grid connection and compliance with local urban planning regulations will be analyzed.

The lowest charging rate on the market
Each IECharge® charging station is connected to a JBox® storage unit, which guarantees charging performance, even when several vehicles are charging at the same time. Thanks to this worldwide patented alliance, NW is able to offer the lowest high-power charging rate on the European market at €0.30/kWh.

“The objective of the agreement signed between Volvo Car France and NW is to contribute to the national roll-out of ultra-fast charging solutions for customers (Volvo and others) by offering Volvo dealers an exclusive partnership to benefit from the installation of IECharge® high-power charging stations. The NW Group stands out in the field of electric charging for its determination to develop its solutions in areas where there is lest infrastructure for fast charging,” says Yves Pasquier-Desvignes, President of Volvo Car France.

“With this partnership, we continue our mission to make electric mobility accessible to everyone, everywhere. To date, 110 IECharge® stations are in operation. Through its commitment to sustainable development, Volvo Car France shares NW’s culture of providing high-quality, innovative solutions that promote the energy transition,” said Jean-Christophe Kerdelhué, Executive Chairman and Founder of NW.

NW, the first French unicorn in energy transition and a leading force in electricity storage within France, proudly announces the commencement of its operations in Texas effective today. Through a strategic acquisition, NW has obtained an electricity storage site boasting a capacity of 10 MW / 20 MWh. By providing ancillary services and participating to the real time market on the Texas energy grid, NW is actively contributing to the ongoing energy transition.

In the state of Texas, an impressive 29% of the electricity production is attributed to wind energy, with an additional 9% harnessed from solar sources. The rapid expansion of renewable, intermittent, and decentralized energy resources requires robust storage solutions to strenghten the electrical grid’s capacity and ensure seamless synchronization between electricity production and consumption. Leveraging its extensive experience in the field of storage, NW aims to bring its cutting-edge expertise to the dynamic Texan market.

“We are delighted to embark on this exciting journey, as it allows us to participate in the ERCOT market, the independent regulatory authority responsible for ensuring the reliability of the network and overseeing the Texas electricity wholesale market,” states Franck Avice, Executive Director for North America at NW. From today onward, NW is wholeheartedly immersed in the arbitration market and proudly offers a wide array of ancillary services on the Texan grid.

NW’s vision is clear, aspiring to achieve an impressive 1 GW of installed capacity by the year 2026.

This significant external growth endeavor serves to reinforce and accelerate NW’s ambitions in Texas, complementing the major partnership inked earlier in April with the American company, Links Energy. Through this partnership, NW aims to deploy numerous groundbreaking storage installations across Texas, amounting to a remarkable 1 GW by the horizon of 2026. Notably, progress is already underway, with almost one hundred MW already identified since the collaboration’s inception in April.

“We are deeply honored to contribute to the stability and resilience of the Texas electrical grid“, asserts Jean-Christophe Kerdelhué, President and Founder of NW. “Our latest undertakings in Texas flawlessly align with our corporate vision: democratizing the accessibility to energy transition. At NW, we are passionate about fostering sustainable solutions and enhancing grid reliability. We take immense pride in exporting our expertise beyond national boundaries, fueling the momentum of global energy transformation”.