UK-based peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading platform Piclo has further expanded its global presence after being selected for a trial by Dutch utility Essent, less than 18 month after its first trial was completed alongside Good Energy in the UK.
The energy marketplace, which enables homes and businesses to transact on a P2P basis with local electricity generators, will be released as ‘Ellyn’ by the Netherlands-based division of the Innogy group.
Beginning life as Piclo in May last year, the technology – known as Selectricity in the UK under Good Energy – uses energy consumption data to match customers with local renewable generation sources. The results are displayed to customers and partners allowing them to choose their green energy sources while providing a route for renenwable generators into a local energy market.
James Johnston, chief executive of Open Utility, said: “In highly competitive energy markets like the Netherlands, transparency and choice are the [keys] to success. 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.”
Essent, which serves 2.5 million customers in the Netherlands and Belgium in the private and business markets, will use the platform to further enhance its digital capabilities and boost its green offering to homes and businesses.
“Essent is a digital energy company, offering our customers smart, sustainable solutions and helping them to use energy more efficiently,” says Stella Brenninkmeijer, marketing development director at Essent.
“Therefore, we have established a new digital P2P brand ‘Ellyn’ to give our business customers easy and transparent access to solar and wind parks, and give solar and wind parks the opportunity to prioritise to whom they want to sell their electricity.”
He added that Ellyn could help add to calls for a greater number of wind and solar farms in the Netherlands if it is proven successful.
The move into the Netherlands is the latest trial win for Open Utility, which announced in June that it had been selected by the Italian green generator and supplier ERG for a trial that would enable Italian businesses to benefit from buying local renewable energy.
Calling the ERG trial “a significant milestone for Open Utility”, Johnston added: “Peer-to-peer energy matching and specifically our Piclo Platform are emerging as an important pillar of the global transition to decentralised energy. So we are very pleased to trial our solution in Italy in partnership with ERG.”
“Great feedback” from UK customers
According to Good Energy, the Piclo – or Selectricity – technology is proving to be a success in the UK following last year’s trial when participants said the system could “bring renewable tariffs to life”.
Joe Wadsworth, business sales manager at Good Energy told Clean Energy News: “We’ve had great feedback from our business customers about Selectricity, Good Energy’s peer-to-peer tool. They love being able to pick the technology sites that match with their values; with most of them using it as a way to support their local generators. It’s also been a great tool for helping them to visualise and manage what they are spending and look for ways to reduce their energy requirements.
“It’s great to see that Open Utility is now working with other clients like Essen to bring their vision of a decentralised energy system to international markets.
“The growth of peer-to-peer technology is hugely important in the journey towards a 100% renewable future. It gives energy users more control of where their electricity comes from, enabling them to pick the technology types and sites they like. Tools like this are important keys for unlocking the value of local and community energy models.”
