TOKYO GAS is Japan‘s largest provider of natural gas, serving more than 11 million customers. In FY2016, TOKYO GAS made a start by entering the electricity retail business and has since reached 1.6 million customers (Nov 2018). TOKYO GAS is shifting from the in-house R&D focused on natural gas energy to an open innovation style R&D to focus on a broad range of innovative energy solutions.

ENECHANGE LTD. is Japan’s most popular energy switching website, having 3 million monthly unique visitors and working with over 100 energy suppliers. Enechange is also recognised as one of the most innovative energy ventures in Japan, providing vertically integrated tech solutions – such as data-driven CRM solutions, smart-meter data management (SMAP), AI-driven load curve simulation etc. – for energy suppliers.

Tohoku Electric Power Company provides electricity to the Aomori, Iwate, Akita, Miyagi, Yamagata, Fukushima and Niigata prefectures, manages over 587,600 km of distribution network and generates over 16.8 GW of electricity. The company is planning on significantly expanding overseas, with a clear target of doubling overseas generation capacity by 2030.

Panasonic Corporation is one of the largest electronics producers, with nearly 80 USD billion in revenue and 271,000 employees. For its 10-year vision, it plans to invest significant resources in developing Focused Technologies such as AI/IoT/Big Data, Sensing Technology, Robotics, and Digitalization Network. Supportive Technologies such as Key Device/Manufacturing, and Energy in “Home”, “Mobility”, “Business” will also be a target.

HOKURIKU ELECTRIC is a vertically integrated electricity supplier serving about 2.1 million customers. Their generation mix is characterized by a higher ratio of hydroelectric power – which is less carbon intensive than other forms of generation – thanks to plentiful water resources in their area. Their Transmission/Distribution Division will be reformed as a separate entity in 2020 and plans to install smart meters to all household by 2024.

ENEOS is the largest oil company and 3rd largest new electric power supplier in Japan. They have crude refining capacity of around 2 million barrels per day – which is comparable to BP – and a nationwide supply chain enabling stable supply of products and services associated with energy. They have also been supplying low-carbon energy, such as solar, wind, biofuel, and hydrogen.

Toho Gas

Rakuten Energy

Unysis

LOOOP operates a low-voltage power retail business ‘Looop Denki’. Since starting in April 2016, the business has gained over 100,000 users by the end of March 2018. After reaching this critical turning point, LOOOP aims to reach 200,000 users by the end of the next fiscal year, and is opening a broad array of new services to attract smart energy consumers.