IECharge: Soon 150 Charging Stations for the NW Unicorn

The new energy transition unicorn NW Group aims for 600 IECharge fast charging points by the end of 2023.

This player in the energy sector was founded in 2007 and specializes in renewable electricity production and storage. NW has built numerous wind farms and photovoltaic plants. Currently, 50 MW are operational and another 150 MW are in development. Regarding storage, after deploying 180 MW at the end of 2021, NW Group hopes to nearly double this figure in 2022, reaching 340 MW.

A network of 300 IECharge points by the end of 2022

NW’s next step is to build a network of ultra-fast charging stations called “IECharge”. Unlike Fastned or Ionity, the goal is to reach “the departmental network in peri-urban and rural areas”.

The subsidiary NW Storm will be tasked with constructing 600 charging points by the end of 2023. These stations, or IECharge hubs, offer multiple charging points. Their power levels reach up to 320 kW. Connectors include Combo 160 kW or 56 kW, AC three-phase 22 kW, and CHAdeMO 50 kW.

Since 2021, NW Storm has already installed 75 stations in France, mainly in the west and north. The first station was inaugurated in Vézin-le-Coquet near Rennes (35) on October 22nd. The company aims to reach 150 stations by the end of 2023. Naturally, these stations include energy storage solutions called Jbox, a specialty of the French group.

A fundraising round for the French unicorn

NW Storm’s subsidiary has completed a fundraising round. The company secured €300 million for its IECharge stations, with the support of partners RTE, Enedis, ACRE, Nomura Bank, and Airgreen. Overall, the group has secured €1.3 billion across sectors including energy, storage, and charging, making NW the “world’s first energy transition unicorn”.

On this occasion, the Minister of the Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, attended to present the financial operation. Visiting to congratulate the project, she emphasized “the strong commitment” of the European Union, aiming to “raise the target for greenhouse gas reduction to -55% by 2030, driven by the automotive, building, and energy sectors” and this “thanks to the involvement of the French presidency of the EU.”

The Minister also reiterated the commitment “to act to multiply our renewable energy production capacity by ten, and the deployment of charging stations“. As of May 31, 2022, Avere-France reported 62,136 charging points, with 8% (4,615) exceeding 50 kW. Among them, 1,811 charging points (or 3%) deliver 150 kW or more, including IECharge stations.

Also read: Fast charging: Volkswagen and BP launch their new network