Blockchain-enabled energy trading launched in Austria

Austrian energy provider Energie Steiermark is partnering with blockchain pioneer Powerledger to launch the smartCOMMUNITY energy trading platform.

smartCOMMUNITY is a new blockchain-enabled energy monitoring and trading platform that is designed to enable prosumers to monitor their energy usage and production as well as to be able to share their surplus with other participants of their choice across Austria through PPAs or on a peer-to-peer trading basis.

The platform was introduced in July 2023 and is now open to the first municipalities, medium enterprises and industrial customers to join the ecosystem.

“The smartCOMMUNITY platform isn’t just about trading energy, it is about empowering customers to have better control over their renewable energy generation and consumption,” comments Energie Steiermark Kunden GmbH’s CEO, Josef Landschützer.

Have you read?
Blockchain a necessity for the distributed grid finds Global Smart Energy Federation
FEVER Project: Unlocking flexibility in a decentralized energy future

“With new industrial customers and municipalities joining this smartCOMMUNITY ecosystem, we are hopeful to actively contribute to Austria’s target of reaching 100% renewable energy supply by 2030”

Features of the smartCOMMUNITY platform include the monitoring of energy consumption and generation and the tracking of energy trades as well as the ability to buy and sell electricity directly from and to other members.

Customers can create customised PPAs with other members of the platform across Austria and also they can set their own maximum and minimum prices for the buying and selling of electricity.

Dr Jemma Green, co-founder and chairman of Powerledger, comments that there are significant benefits from establishing the smartCOMMUNITY platform for both buyers and sellers.

“Households and businesses can now define the recipients as well as the pricing of the power they’ve generated, which marks a significant shift in mindset. Instead of merely feeding excess electricity into the grid, they now have the freedom to exercise choice and control over their self-generated power.”

A pioneer of the use of blockchain in the energy sector the Australia-origin, now Switzerland-headquartered Powerledger also has reported becoming a founder member of the DePIN Association, which is focussed on innovation and industry standards towards the development of decentralised physical infrastructure networks.