ENECHANGE Ltd. (Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Yohei Kiguchi) is pleased to announce its collaboration with Tohoku EPCO Frontier Co., Inc. (Head Office: Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture; President: Norihiko Takeyama), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tohoku Electric Power Co., Inc. This partnership involves providing the ENECHANGE Cloud DR Demand Response (DR) service to the Tohoku EPCO Frontier Co., Inc. DR Point Challenge, starting July 1, 2024. The service will include its standard features along with two new functions: a smartphone application and an automatic usage volume linkage system.

Background

The adoption of renewable energy and the flexible management of demand through Demand Response (DR) are crucial for achieving a decarbonized society. Furthermore, with the government’s subsidies for electricity and gas bills concluding at the end of May this year, it is anticipated that there will be an increased focus on electricity conservation among consumers.

Since the winter of the 2022 fiscal year, Tohoku EPCO Frontier Co., Inc. has been implementing energy-saving measures based on the comparison of year-on-year electricity consumption data for its customers. To enhance the appeal of these measures, in the 2024 fiscal year, the company plans to leverage DR based on recent electricity usage data, moving beyond simple energy conservation. Consequently, it has opted for ENECHANGE Cloud DR, a DR service provided by ENECHANGE to energy companies since 2019.

 

In addition to DR My Page for each consumer, a smartphone application is also provided

ENECHANGE Cloud DR offers a SaaS-based DR service, designed to enable retail electricity providers to deliver DR services to their consumers efficiently. By leveraging electricity data from digital smart meters, the service promotes the reduction of peak electricity consumption by both household and corporate customers.

Beyond the conventional services such as DR My Page and customer management interfaces, ENECHANGE has expanded its offerings to include a smartphone application for Tohoku EPCO Frontier Co., Inc. customers.

◎ Tohoku EPCO Frontier Co., Inc.’s ‘DR Point Challenge’

Key features include:
・The application enables users to receive push notifications, ensuring that DR events are not missed.
・Engaging through the app offers a gamified experience.
・It provides essential information, including graphs that compare baseline (typical usage) with actual usage, points accumulated, and schedules for DR events.

To use the DR Point Challenge, you must subscribe to a Tohoku EPCO Frontier Co., Inc. electricity tariff plan and agree to the DR Point Challenge Terms of Use.

For more information and to apply for the service, please visit: https://www.tohoku-frontier.co.jp/plan/option/drpoint/

Electricity consumption is obtained directly from the transmission and distribution companies

ENECHANGE Cloud DR directly obtains the electricity consumption data of participants from the power transmission and distribution companies, bypassing the electricity retailers. Previously, the exchange of electricity consumption files required going through electricity retailers, but with the introduction of automatic linkage for electricity consumption data, the time and effort needed to connect and analyze electricity consumption for DR outcomes have been significantly reduced. By sourcing electricity consumption data straight from transmission and distribution companies, it enables faster reflection of results in applications.

Comments from Jun Abe, Managing Director, General Manager of Marketing Division and General Manager of Business Planning Department, Tohoku EPCO Frontier Co., Inc.

We are delighted to be able to offer a new service to our customers via ENECHANGE Cloud DR. By encouraging customers to change the way they use electricity in a game-like and fun way, we will contribute to reducing the burden of utility bills on customers, improving electricity supply and demand, and realizing the use of waste-free renewable energy for a decarbonized society.

Comments from Ryoichi Nojima, Executive Officer, ENECHANGE Ltd.

As a company dedicated to decarbonization technology, we are proud to aid in building a sustainable society by optimizing energy consumption through our provision of ENECHANGE Cloud DR to Tohoku EPCO Frontier Co., Inc. This year, as we approach the summer, the need for energy conservation is expected to rise significantly. In this context, we hope that our customers will find DR both effective and enjoyable, thanks to the superior user experience offered by ENECHANGE Cloud DR.

 

■About ENECHANGE Cloud DR

ENECHANGE Cloud DR offers a solution to the electricity supply-demand imbalance by leveraging energy data from smart meters. This service encourages customers to participate in energy-saving practices to shift peak energy consumption. These services are informed by the next day’s area price from the electricity market (JEPX), using predetermined thresholds and specified time periods for peak shaving. Participants are rewarded based on the amount of energy they reduce compared to their usual consumption.

ENECHANGE Cloud DR service
URL: http://dr.smapenergy.com/

■ENECHANGE Ltd.
ENECHANGE is an energy technology company that promotes a net zero society through digital technology with the mission of Changing Energy For A Better World. We offer services based on data utilization in the 4Ds of Energy: Deregulation, Digitalization, Decarbonization, and Decentralization. Our company’s roots come from an energy data lab at the University of Cambridge, UK, a country where liberalization is mature. ENECHANGE has a UK subsidiary, ENECHANGE Innovation Limited, as well as a global network and analytical technology for energy data.

URL: https://enechange.co.jp/en/

■For inquiries
ENECHANGE Ltd.
pr@enechange.co.jp