Osaka Gas will conduct a joint demonstration project with Geli, a start-up offering a VPP software platform for distributed energy storage resources, and has also invested in the company.
August 07. 2018
Osaka Gas Co., Ltd (Osaka Gas) has entered into an agreement to conduct a joint demonstration project with Growing Energy Labs, Inc. (Geli), a software company based in San Francisco, to evaluate new Internet of Energy services using Geli’s virtual power plant (VPP) software platform and energy storage control technology for Japanese customers.
The demonstration project will be deployed at both Next21, the experimental housing site and living lab of Osaka Gas, and Imazu Ground, addressing residential customers and commercial customers respectively.
In addition to the joint demonstration project, Osaka Gas also invested in Geli’s Series A-2 financing round in March 2018.
Geli is a software company providing an energy-networking platform for distributed energy resources, storage batteries, electric vehicle (EV) charging, and networked electronic appliances, and has offices in the U.S. and Australia.
In Japan, the extensive deployment of renewable energy resources such as solar systems is expected to continue in the future, which will cause grid instability and increase the need for a VPP platform.
In the demonstration project, co-optimization between PV self-consumption and frequency response control will be performed at Next21 as a way of adapting to the termination of the roof-top solar feed-in-tariff. Co-optimization between demand charge management and frequency response control will be performed at Imazu ground.
Osaka Gas aims to develop optimal operation services for customers with battery storage systems through the strategic partnership with Geli.
Osaka Gas has helped customers achieve comfortable living, reduce environmental burden, and improve energy security by promoting combined heat and power systems in both residential and C&I sectors. To continue and expand the above-mentioned activities, Osaka Gas aims to deliver new services using Geli’s VPP platform and battery control technology to meet emerging customers’ needs.
As stated in its long-term management vision “Going Forward Beyond Borders 2030,” the Daigas Group is committed to providing products and services that exceed customer expectations with state-of-the-art technologies and advanced methods.
This investment is our first case of providing capital to an energy-related start-up company based overseas, with the goal of creating value in an ‘out of the box’ way for our customers.
The Daigas Group continues striving to offer new services which contribute to consumers’ life and business through promoting activities of collaboration with partner companies and toward digitalization.
Company profile of Geli
| Location: | 111 New Montgomery St, Suite 500, San Francisco, California 94105 USA |
| Established: | 2010 |
| CEO: | Daniel Loflin |
Overview of demonstration test
1. Verification test assuming residential customers
| Site: | Next21 |
| Content: | Co-optimization between PV self-consumption control and frequency response control |
| Period: | From August of 2018 to March of 2019 (Tentative) |
2. Verification test assuming commercial customers
| Site: | Imazu ground |
| Content: | Co-optimization between demand cut management control and frequency response control |
| Period: | From August of 2018 to March of 2019 (Tentative) |
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