Updater
Guiding RE100 Companies in Decarbonisation Management

Japan is home to 50 large RE100 companies committed to sourcing 100 percent renewable electricity and accelerating the shift towards a zero-carbon future.

Achieving such ambitious goals requires expertise and guidance from companies such as UPDATER, a carbon disclosure program (CDP)-certified renewable electricity procurement solutions provider. The firm supports Japanese organizations in their journey to carbon neutrality by enabling them to seamlessly purchase 100 percent renewable electricity from the power producer and source of their choice.

UPDATER’s consultation services, as well as its transparent and efficient electricity tracking and trading platform, are the tools that allow RE100 clients to choose their preferred renewable power supplier and make informed decisions that impact their decarbonization goals.

Revolutionizing Japan’s Electricity Procurement

The firm’s success in the renewable electricity sector began with its founder, Eiji Oishi. He was riding the subway with a dying phone when he noticed a passenger with a solar keychain hanging on his bag. He thought, “I wish I could buy this electricity right now.” Aware of the social and economic benefits society will gain from their freedom to purchase renewable electricity providers of their choice, Eiji Oishi set out to create UPDATER in 2010.

This awareness facilitated UPDATER to liberalize the electricity sector by introducing renewable electricity providers, aided by a concept called ‘minden’ or everyone’s power. Staying true to the belief, the CDP-certified company provided visibility of the other side of the supply chain, allowing society and companies to view and purchase electricity from the power plant of their choice via its face-to-face platform.

Supporting Renewable Electricity Transition

The esteemed firm collaborates with 800 power producers that deliver renewable electricity nationwide, sourced from solar, hydro, wind and biomass plants. These environmentally conscious power plants adhere to government and environmental regulations, enabling their corporate clients to choose electricity suppliers that meet their unique business needs and ESG objectives.

Its commitment to helping RE100 companies reduce their carbon footprint goes beyond facilitating the choice of preferred electricity sources. The company also offers consultation services, such as developing strategies, setting up necessary infrastructures and procuring certificates that guide clients to achieve zero carbon grid scale. This process begins with a meticulous examination of the client’s current greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe), followed by setting long-term decarbonization goals, devising budget-friendly strategies, and charting a comprehensive roadmap for implementation.
“Many corporates are unsure of the strategies used to achieve their decarbonization goal. To address this need, we go the extra mile to help implement the devised roadmaps based on our experience in the field,” says Kenjiro Momi, director of UPDATER.

Enabling ESG-Driven Renewable Electricity Adoption

The firm’s approach to decarbonization management is ingenious, with innovative and cost-effective strategies being the cornerstone of its success.

Through corporate off-site power purchase agreements (PPA), corporate onsite self-consumption PPAs and non-fossil fuel certificates, UPDATER ensures that the client’s ESG goals and business requirements are meticulously considered before proposing a suitable solution.

Renewable electricity, in and of itself, is highly competitive on the cost front. However, when combined with the firm’s game-changing strategies, the financial burden associated with efficient decarbonization is eliminated. PPAs with a third-party power producer also guarantee a steady and uninterrupted electricity supply that remains unfazed by the volatility of policy changes in local and national governments.

UPDATER has a remarkable track record of procuring corporate PPAs for RE100 companies. In this agreement, the firm proposes the development of new renewable energy power plants from a carefully selected renewable power producer situated close to the corporation. This arrangement allows clients to purchase power from the producer at a fixed price, with the CDP-certified company covering any instances of power shortages. In doing so, clients can acquire secure, reliable and certified renewable electricity, all while avoiding the risks associated with carbon pricing. Through this PPA, the RE100 companies can also achieve their sustainability goals by funding and maintaining additional renewable electricity plants.

Onsite corporate PPAs for self-consumption are another innovative measure that has garnered significant attention. In this strategy, the power producer installs power generation equipment on the organization’s property, and the client only pays for the electricity consumed. UPDATER compensates for any shortfalls by directly procuring electricity from other power plants. RE100 companies use this strategy to obtain power at a fixed price while being exempt from investing in and maintaining the equipment.

Another measure clients undertake to offset their carbon emissions, without switching to renewable electricity, is purchasing non-fossil fuel certificates (NFFC). The firm procures electricity directly from power producers and holds numerous tracked feed-in tariff (FIT) NFFCs for each purchase. It then proposes certificates from power plants suitable for business requirements and ESG objectives. Since power producers adhere to international initiatives like Science Based Targets (SBT), CDP and RE100, corporates in rental properties or having tight deadlines can achieve their decarbonization goals by purchasing these certificates.

Once clients select a decarbonization method that matches their ESG goals and business requirements, the firm steps in to assist with set up and implementation. Its innovative platform, Enection 2.0, enables clients to track power generation and consumption, providing them with crucial insights into their energy use patterns.

“Good renewable energy means traceable energy. RE100 clients, keen on procuring their preferred renewable electricity, can track and report their progress on decarbonization to stakeholders. This is the purpose of our business,” says Shuta Mano, deputy general manager of UPDATER.

Enection 2.0: Japan’s Largest Renewable Electricity Platform

UPDATER made waves in 2018 with the launch of its peer-to-peer tracking and trading system, now known as Enection 2.0, in a breakthrough move towards democratizing the renewable energy sector and fighting climate change. The system provides valuable insights into the other side of the renewable electricity supply chain, enabling clients to purchase power based on proximity, FIT systems and source, like solar, wind, hydraulic and biomass.

Enection 2.0 uses blockchain technology to facilitate and record transactions between power producers and corporate consumers in 30-minute increments. This innovative trading platform enables RE100 customers to see how much electricity they have obtained from each source and in what ratio.

Apart from facilitating transparent power procurement, Enection 2.0 enables clients to track their decarbonization and overall CO2 reduction progress. The platform displays GHGe analysis and the costs associated with implementing the strategies outlined in the roadmap, providing clients with the latest information on their journey to carbon neutrality.

“We believe that promoting transparency in corporate power procurement increases corporate value by being supported by stakeholders, like investors and consumers, who value ESG,” says Eiji Oishi.

UPDATER’s industry-first face-to-face electricity tracking platform also gives power plants visibility into how much renewable electricity their corporate customers consume. This level of transparency in the renewable energy industry is a crucial step toward building a sustainable and responsible future.

Decarbonisation Management for Sustainable Future - Case Study

Maruha Nichiro, a global seafood company, is taking bold steps to reduce its carbon footprint and commit to a sustainable future. In 2022, its domestic branch pledged to achieve carbon neutral by 2050.
To help Maruha Nichiro achieve its goal, UPDATER provided a comprehensive decarbonization management plan. The firm analyzed the client’s carbon emissions, which were then at 240,000 tons. A roadmap was created, with achievable targets for each phase; Phase I (FY2022-FY2024) with a CO2 reduction rate of 10 percent, Phase II (FY2025-FY2027) with 20 percent and Phase III (FY2028-FY2030) with 30 percent. The firm also assisted with the third-party installation of onsite solar plants at several locations and procurement of renewable electricity through off-site corporate PPAs. In cases where renewable electricity was inconvenient to introduce, Non-Fossil Certificates (NFCs) were utilized. By the end of Phase I, Maruha Nichiro aims to reduce its carbon footprint by 23,000 tons.

Inoue Shuzo Brewery is another client that enlisted assistance from the CDP-certified company to be carbon neutral and brew a type of Japanese sake called Suijo. The client utilized solar-powered electricity generated from the Ohirune Mikan Power Plant and procured rice grown under the plant’s solar panels to manufacture the sake. UPDATER’s Enection 2.0 enabled Inoue Shuzo to track, purchase and certify the required energy’s origin. The result was the world’s first sake made with 100 percent renewable electricity, named Ninomiya Sontoku—after Japan’s revolutionary agrarian reformer, echoing his idea of surplus profit for society.

Decarbonization is a Borderless Issue

In Japan, multinational corporations like Starbucks, Ricoh and Kao have found a valuable partner in UPDATER for efficient decarbonization management. The firm is also recognized for its solutions with Tokyo Cap & Trade System certification, NIKKEI Decarbonization, and Project Division Grand Prize awards.
“We are seeking strategic global partnerships to enhance the reach and impact of its solution and services beyond Japanese waters. We do that because decarbonization is a borderless issue,” says Eiji Oishi

Clients are drawn to UPDATER’s transparent trading and tracking platform, Enection 2.0, which allows corporates the freedom to acquire power from the supplier of their choice, which inevitably results in achieving the decarbonization goal.