UK smart technology company Moixa is helping manage what it claims is the world’s largest cluster of live batteries installed in homes across Japan.

The installations across 3,500 households have a combined capacity of 35MWh, which are being managed by the company’s GridShare platform and rolled out in partnership with Japanese trading firm ITOCHU Corporation and TREND, a subsidiary of utility Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO).

The platform uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to optimise battery performance to help households reduce energy bills and allows utilities to deliver smart tariffs and aggregate spare battery capacity to provide balancing services to the grid.

The companies have launched a new smart tariff that will reward home battery owners with lower prices for using electricity outside peak times.

GridShare is now included as standard in ITOCHU’s Smart Star home energy storage systems.

Simon Daniels, CEO of Moixa said: “GridShare uses artificial intelligence to learn about each owner’s energy use and develops a unique charging plan to meet their needs and maximise savings. It can also use spare battery capacity – or flexibility – to earn income by providing services to the grid that support more renewable generation and help manage electric vehicle charging.”

Energy and Clean Growth Minister Claire Perry welcomed the news, saying the AI platform is a “great example” of the UK’s modern Industrial Strategy going global.

She added: “With intelligent management of batteries designed with UK Government support, Moixa is exporting its Gridshare technology and knowhow so consumers in Japan can save money by using energy outside peak times or in the future make money when using electric vehicles.”

How technology is helping drive change at M&S will be discussed by the supermarket’s head of energy at Energy Live Expo on 31st October, with Ms Perry headlining the event.

To book your place (free if you are an end user), you can send an e-mail to [email protected].