Engie is a French multinational energy giant with a presence in seventy countries.[1] The company, previously called GDF Suez, was rebranded as Engie in mid-2015.[2] Nearly one-third is owned by the government of France.[3] The nineteen-member board of directors includes five directors appointed by and representing the government.[4] In addition, a commissioner of the French government, currently Laurent Michel from the Department of Climate and Energy at France’s Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development, and Energy,[5] attends Engie board meetings in an advisory role.[6]
In April 2016, Engie announced its participation in building a “sustainable city,” an enormous technology park with housing for thousands of students and researchers in Western Sahara, right near Laayoune.[7] This “city of tomorrow” is being constructed at Foum El Oued.[8] Engie proudlyboasts that the self-sufficient, waste-free city will contribute to the “fast-growing economic and social development of the region.”[9] (Engie was also a bidder for the wind-power project described above, losing out to an Italian-German consortium.[10])
[1] Engie, “Our International Presence,” http://www.engie.com/groupe/notre-presence-internationale/.
[2] Daily Mail, “French Gas Giant GDF Suez Changes Name to Engie,” April 24, 2015, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-3053943/French-gas-giant-GDF-Suez-changes-Engie.html.
[3] Economie, “Energy Sector Overview,” p. 51, http://www.economie.gouv.fr/files/files/directions_services/agence-participations-etat/PANORAMA_SECTORIEL_ENERGIE_2015-2016_-_APE.pdf.
[4] Engie, “Board of Directors,” http://www.engie.com/en/group/governance/board-directors/.
[5] Engie, “Biographies,” http://www.engie.com/en/group/governance/board-directors/biographies/.
[6] Engie, “Board of Directors,” http://www.engie.com/en/group/governance/board-directors/.
[7] Engie, “Sustainable City: Enormous Technology Park Planned for the Moroccan Desert,” April 18, 2016, http://www.engie.com/en/news/enormous-technology-park-planned-for-the-moroccan-desert/.
[8] Video, OCP Official YouTube Account, “Projets Labellisés COP22: Technopole Foum El Oued,” November 7, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40HB2no30kA.
[9] Engie, “Sustainable City: Enormous Technology Park Planned for the Moroccan Desert,” April 18, 2016, http://www.engie.com/en/news/enormous-technology-park-planned-for-the-moroccan-desert/.
[10] Western Sahara Resource Watch, “16 Firms Prequalified to Construct Wind Farms in Western Sahara,” March 7, 2013, http://www.wsrw.org/a105x2614.
