Open Utility is the UK developer of Piclo, an energy marketplace that enables homes and businesses to conduct transactions on a peer-to-peer (P2P) basis with local electricity generators. The company has now expanded their technology to serve the Dutch market, establishing a trial contact with Essent - the largest energy company in the Netherlands and part of the Innogy Group.
Piclo technology uses data from smart meters that records how much energy is put onto and taken off the grid, to match customers with the local generation sources in an optimal and fair way, displaying the results to customers and partners via the Piclo website. Open Utility partners handle customer service, provide top-up energy, manage billing and underwrite contracts.
Consumers can further enhance their green, environmentally friendly lifestyle by choosing to buy local, renewable electricity. Businesses can maximize CSR value from their energy bills, and renewable generators can participate in a local energy market. Leveraging their experience, Open Utility is playing a leading role in the P2P energy sector with the growing adoption of their technology by energy companies in other countries.
“In highly competitive energy markets like the Netherlands, transparency and choice are the key to success” said James Johnston, CEO of Open Utility, commenting on the new partnership. “We are excited to bring this proposition to the Dutch market together with Essent, through our Piclo P2P Energy Marketplace. This partnership with Essent strengthens our position as a leader in P2P energy with a proven platform that is flexible and can be applied in various global markets.”
Stella Brenninkmeijer – Director Marketing Development at Essent, added that the company is a digital energy company which concentrates on offering its customers smart, sustainable solutions that help them to use energy more efficiently. It has established the new digital P2P brand ‘Ellyn’ to give its business customers easier and more transparent access to solar and wind plants and also give solar and wind projects the opportunity to prioritise customers.
Open Utility has also, earlier in the year, been selected by Italian renewable energy generator ERG which wants to trial Piclo to enable Italian businesses to benefit from buying local renewable energy. Open Utility has also worked with UK company Good Energy – the two companies launched Selectricity in 2016, allowing UK businesses to buy renewable power directly from hundreds of independent generators.
“Established utilities are facing a range of disruptive threats and a great way for them to address these is to partner with dynamic growth companies” said Ian Marchant, the former CEO of Scottish and Southern Energy and an investor in Open Utility. “One opportunity to respond to this environment is peer to peer trading and therefore I am delighted to see this forward thinking partnership between Essent and Open Utility”.
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