PROSUME blockchain-based platform for new peer-to-peer energy models; EV platform
24 September 2017
The PROSUME Energy Foundation has developed a blockchain-based platform to exchange electricity from renewable and fossil sources. It connects independent power producers, consumers, utility companies and energy communities in a locally shared market where each peer is free to interact in a multi-tenant ecosystem.
The decentralized and self-regulated monitoring system, promises an autonomous, independent and digitized smart place that will permit users to exchange different energy sources, promoting and accelerating new energy community models. Among the foreseen applications for the platform is electric vehicle management, data collection and identity management to empower EV rentals with energy barter systems.
We strongly believe in the sharing energy model based on the peer to peer exchange system, for this reason PROSUME platform has as its main goal to be the most innovative place to develop energy communities, in order to give everyone the possibility to exchange energy in a more transparent, traceable, accessible, flexible, resilient and sustainable way.
PROSUME solutions improve efficiency while reducing time and costs in managing network and energy infrastructures. We aim to combine the network and energy layer to build a blockchain-based Internet of Energy, reducing the points of failure and the need for additional hardware from its adaptability in integrating with available and installed technologies
—Alfredo Giardina, Co-founder of PROSUME Energy Foundation
The mission of the Foundation is to promote decentralizing power models and empower an energy community through the blockchain software technology through the implementation of peer-to-peer energy exchange policies targeting possible solutions for all the existing physical and legal energy framework barriers.
PROSUME gives the opportunity to several communities to interact, allowing many different applications. It works as a p2p energy exchange service in different platforms such as a smart community (empowering people to participate in specific aggregator requests of energy demands, where the consumer chooses from different energy sources like green, local, fossil, or sustainable, avoiding intermediaries), energy storage/transmission exchange, electric vehicle platform, etc.
Additional functionalities will be added and upgraded to the PROSUME platform to provide services such as flexibility market operation, assets visualization across the value chain, integration of the business process in the regulatory framework, and other compatible energy apps, hardware, etc.
The Foundation says that several European energy companies have shown an interest. PROSUME is now negotiating eight different pilot projects in Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
The PROSUME token launch. PROSUME is conducting a token distribution event that will offer an upgradeable ERC20 derivate token named PEF on the Ethereum platform. The proceeds of the token distribution event will be used to implement PROSUME operations and to develop the PROSUME platform.
These tokens will then enable “prosumers” to be part of a platform where electricity assets delivered by various sources and providers can be exchanged. Tokens accepted for this ICO are ETH (ethereum), BTC (bitcoin) and LTC (litecoin). The Pre-ICO will start 27 September 2017 and last for 12 days, offering the chance for early adopters and strategic partners to exchange tokens for ETH, BTC or LTC with a significant Bonus (47%).
We need more buzz words.
Posted by: SJC | 24 September 2017 at 09:27 AM
It's interesting that solar panels, wind generators and batteries have empowered people to become independent of the utility companies and their high charges for electricity. But, few take the chance.
In California the utilities have talked the PUC into a convoluted rate structure that at different times of day and days of the week, charges the customer from 15 to 45 cents a kilowatt. The idea is to bamboozle the customer to justify more money. I think that's pretty much the highest in the U.S. unless you live on a U.S. island and use imported diesel.
Posted by: Lad | 24 September 2017 at 10:11 AM
Lad, that sort of rate structure is going to drive things like ice-storage air conditioning. Ice storage will move 95% of the A/C load to the PV/wind peaks and the overnight hours and massively unburden the grid.
Blockchain is different. It is going to be very, very interesting if it can get small-scale real estate developers and utilities into the act.
One of the serious problems with installing charging infrastructure is setting up a billing system. If a blockchain-based system lets anyone with a smart phone pay anyone else with a smartphone for electricity, that ceases to be an issue. Suddenly every light pole along every street, alley and parking lot becomes a potential charging spot. The chargers may be curtailed or cut off during peak-demand periods, but with other demand-shifting like ice-storage A/C that may be less of an issue than today.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 24 September 2017 at 12:59 PM
EP:
An old idea brought up to date. And, a good way to store surplus energy produced off peak...Ironic to store energy as ice instead of heat; I like it. I remember before electric A/C we used a fan blowing across a tub of ice; worked quite well.
Posted by: Lad | 24 September 2017 at 04:54 PM
All you have to do is know the history of definitions. A "1 ton" air conditioner extracts heat equivalent to melting of 1 ton (144 BTU/lb * 2000 lb = 288,000 BTU) of ice per day; 12,000 BTU per hour.
Batteries are dear and wear out quickly. Water is close to free and lasts a lifetime. Which would YOU use to store what you need for cooling (or heating)?
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 24 September 2017 at 10:10 PM
I often think that grocery stores with their large flat roofs and large demand for refrigeration would be ideal candidates for combining rooftop solar panels and ice storage. Checked satellite images around places like Las Vegas and it doesn't appear to be catching on just yet. Probably be more efficient on a new build as opposed to a retrofit.
Posted by: Calgarygary | 25 September 2017 at 02:25 PM
Improved local/individual user energy management can realy help to better match production and demand.
With electrification increasing to progressively replace most if not all bio-fossil fuels, sharing local production amongt local loads will become a must to avoid excesses and reduce clean e-energy cost.
Increasing REs (%) will also require improved e-energy management. Electric vehicles will/could play an important role as load levelers.
Posted by: HarveyD | 26 September 2017 at 09:45 AM
With solar thermal adsorption cooling,
the whole store could be air conditioned using the sun.
Posted by: SJC | 30 September 2017 at 10:06 AM