In mid-September the record-breaking heat continued, and electricity demand remained exceptionally high nationwide. This created a significant strain on the power grid, with widespread tight supply and demand. As a result, the capacity market was activated – a system that secures power capacity to ensure the country’s electricity supply – calling on multiple demand response dispatches over several days.
When called on by the energy market operator, Enel X’s Virtual Power Plant (VPP) sends a signal to participating customers to power down temporarily or increase power generation of on-site generators in response to a grid emergency. The effect of several large energy users powering down at the same time has the same effect on the grid as turning a new generator online.
This summer saw a record-breaking 19 days of capacity market dispatches, the highest number to date. In response, Enel X Japan activated approximately 1GW of dispatchable resources in the newly launched capacity market (April 2024) and delivered approximately 7GW of energy to the grid over the course of the summer.
Hiromitsu Miyamoto, Country Manager, Enel X Japan, said, “This achievement not only highlights Enel X’s ability to quickly respond to power dispatches, but also underscores our unwavering commitment to stabilizing the nation's energy supply. Moving forward, we will continue to adapt and respond swiftly to the evolving needs of the market. Together with our customers, we will continue to work towards building a cleaner, more sustainable energy system and a carbon-free society.”
At the heart of Japan’s clean energy transition is the efficient use of all available resources. This includes demand response and battery energy storage systems that can activate their ‘flexible demand’. Businesses power down when called on by Enel X’s market-leading VPP, enabled by advanced ICT technology. The Enel X Japan team continuously monitors global market situations, which directly impact Japan’s electricity supply, making the role of Demand Response even more critical.
“Our active participation in the capacity market is a clear demonstration of our cutting-edge technological capabilities and our commitment to creating a sustainable, resilient energy future for Japan. As we move forward, we will continue to drive the adoption of Demand Response initiatives and pursue innovations that promote efficient energy use and a sustainable, low-carbon society,” Mr. Miyamoto added.
The market success this summer is the result of the collective effort of every team member at Enel X Japan and the global Enel X team at the Network Operations Center (NOC) in Dublin, Ireland, along with the trust and support of our customers and partners. Enel X operates in 19 countries across the globe – the world’s largest commercial & industrial VPP operator –dispatched more than 1350 times this year.
