The E-Powerledger project focuses on developing a business model for direct and decentralised energy trading between customers (peer-2-peer). A platform based on cryptographic blockchain technology, including billing and payment, enables PV electricity to be traded cross-regionally.

Power Ledger is working with innovative project partners in Australia, South East Asia, Japan and the United States. In many regards, the project with ENext breaks new ground, not just in the transition to a cleaner energy future but also in the way blockchain technology can be integrated into existing legislative regimes through the adoption of innovative business processes.

David Martin, Managing Director and Co-founder at Power Ledger

Proof of Concept will be provided by summer 2019, by Australian Start-Up Powerledger (www.powerledger.io), working with the Graz blockchain experts form Block42 (www.block42.tech) and 10 test customers.

Key Project Points

Powerledger was identified from 6 possible candidates as the preferred candidate for a pilot project via an internal selection process, which also defined the use case for peer-2-peer energy exchange.

Powerledger is the world’s leading peer-2-peer marketplace for renewable energy. It enables both businesses and individual customers to sell on any surplus solar energy they produce to third parties (to the extent permitted by law) without the need for a middleman.

Millions of transactions between thousands of traders and the associated challenges such as accounts settlement, data security and much more are almost impossible by conventional means and on a centrally-controlled basis. But blockchain technology promises to address these challenges.

Project goals & Project team

Primary goals are to gather information on, and gain experience with, blockchain technology and its market readiness – and building on that, to develop the optimal business model and prepare the best possible go-to-market.

The project team consists of individuals with the following competences:

• innovation
• legal
• technology
• IT
• sales

The external partners are:

• Powerledger (platform)
• Block42 (technological expertise)

Blockchain technology has the potential to disrupt a lot of markets – but as an innovation, we also think it offers new business opportunities and the chance to generate added value for our customers!

Mathias Schaffer, Innovation, Energie Steiermark