TRENDE is a spinout from Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc., the largest utility in Japan serving millions of homes and businesses. The company is led by serial entrepreneurs Tadatoshi Senoo and Jeffrey Char, and takes an environmentally responsible approach to provide consumers with clean and affordable energy. With this investment TRENDE will continue to grow its technical team and build upon its early success in the market.
Tadatoshi Senoo, CEO of TRENDE said, “The Japanese energy industry is undergoing a fundamental transformation empowered by new technologies and business models. We are delighted to partner with these global energy companies to lead this digital transformation for the benefit of our customers in Japan.”
The company's Ashita Denki service offers customers 2 simple and affordable flat rate plans. In addition, the company's Hot Denki service incentivizes customers to become prosumers. TRENDE installs, operates and maintains solar panels on homeowners' rooftops and shares the cost savings with its customer. The customer does not incur any upfront costs and immediately enjoys a lower energy tariff. Moreover, at the end of the contract term TRENDE transfers ownership of the solar panels to the customer.
TRENDE expects its Ashita Denki and Hot Denki services to accelerate the widespread adoption of solar power in Japan. At which point, the company aims to leverage blockchain technology to create a peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplace for producers and consumers of renewable energy.
“We look forward to partnering with TRENDE to drive the transformation of the Japanese energy industry,” said Misao Hamamoto, Senior Executive Officer Energy Solution Business COO at Showa Shell. “We believe that TRENDE will redefine the energy ecosystem in Japan with its customer-centric business model and innovative P2P platform.”
“TRENDE, an upcoming Japanese electricity retailer and technology company presents a unique opportunity to forge a strong partnership between a world class utility and a dynamic startup,” said H.E. Saeed M Al Tayer, MD & CEO at DEWA. “I'm confident that both DEWA and TRENDE will provide each other several strategic benefits.”
