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Fujitsu Launches FUJITSU Intelligent Society Solution E3CIS for Retail Electricity Businesses

Providing total support needed by electricity retailers, from customer management to payment collections

Fujitsu Limited

Tokyo, January 26, 2016

Fujitsu today announced that it has developed the FUJITSU Intelligent Society Solution E3CIS, a customer management and rate calculation packaged solution aimed at retail electricity businesses. Sales of the new packaged solution will begin in Japan in early February 2016.

Leveraging Fujitsu's accumulated expertise in building systems for utility companies, E3CIS is a packaged solution for the core operational functions needed by the retail electricity industry, such as customer management, rate calculations, invoicing, and payment. By using E3CIS, customers seeking to participate in the retail electricity industry can launch and run their businesses with greater ease.

Background

Japan's retail electricity market for low-voltage customers (households and small businesses, such as convenience stores) is scheduled to be deregulated as of April 1, 2016. A variety of businesses are preparing to seize this opportunity to enter the retail electricity business. These businesses need a system to handle customer management (contract menu management and usage volume management for each customer), rate calculation, and billing and collections management. These functions are central to running a new business, and there is a need for a system that can be built quickly, while still having the flexibility to respond to future service changes.

Features of this Product

E3CIS is a packaged solution developed around the "three E" concept (Energy, Efficiency, and Extensibility), using Fujitsu's experience in building individual systems for customers planning to enter the retail electricity market as a base. Fujitsu's customers can deploy a system, quickly and with low costs, that offers a series of functions necessary for a retail electricity business, from customer management to payment collections.

1. Energy: Provides the necessary functions for the retail electricity business as a package

This product is offered as a package that features a series of functions, such as customer management and rate calculation, necessary for the retail electricity business. In addition, using the experience gained by Fujitsu in developing systems related to the retail electricity business for OCCTO(1) and general power transmission and distribution companies(2), this product provides as standard functionality the ability to connect to the Switching Support System(3) and Consignment Business System(4), necessary for the complete retail deregulation system. This enables customers to smoothly set up their retail electricity operations.

2. Efficiency: Rate calculation function that responds to sudden market environment changes

Because the rate calculation function uses BRMS(5) technology, it is possible to change settings for the rate menu, such as adding or modifying options without changing the application itself. This shortens the time necessary for system changes that accompany new rate plans or adding or changing services, enabling fast responses to market needs.

3. Extensibility: Extensibility that can accommodate a variety of business types

This product can also be deployed in combination with expanded functions provided separately from E3CIS, such as a web application system for customers or income and expenditure simulations needed when developing a rate menu. In addition, it can broadly support a variety of business types for retail electricity businesses, such as smoothly connecting with retail electricity businesses' supply and demand management systems(6) and payment collection agencies, or matching with BPO service operators (companies that handle tasks such as customer registration and customer support), which are skilled at providing services through E3CIS.

Overview of the E3CIS SolutionOverview of the E3CIS Solution
Larger View (83 KB)

Price

Package license price: starting from 12.6 million yen (10,000 customers) (Deployment rates not included, by individual estimate)

Sales Target

10 billion yen in sales over the next five years.

For further information


  • [1] OCCTO

    Organization for Cross-regional Coordination of Transmission Operators: An organization established for the purpose of advancing the maintenance of the power transmission and distribution network necessary for the use of electricity across a broad area, while also strengthening its ability to adjust to supply and demand nationwide in both ordinary and extraordinary conditions, whose members are made up of all electricity companies.

  • [2] General power transmission and distribution companies

    Companies that own and manage the power transmission and distribution network, and ensure the stable provision of electricity within the network.

  • [3] Switching Support System

    A system that supports switching electricity consignment contracts between retail electricity businesses and general power transmission and distribution companies, operated by OCCTO.

  • [4] Consignment Business System

    A system for providing retail electricity businesses with information about electricity use volume for each customer from the general power transmission and distribution companies that directly manage electricity use volume for each customer.

  • [5] BRMS

    Business Rule Management System: A system that enables the automated implementation and management of complicated business decisions, without changing the application, by defining and managing business rules (such as business regulations, requirements, and evaluation criteria) in a repository database separate from the application. E3CIS uses Red Hat’s BRMS software, Red Hat JBoss BRMS.

  • [6] Supply and Demand Management System

    A management system for each retail electricity business to ensure that the volume of electricity supplied meets the volume demanded (same time, same volume). It provides functions such as demand forecasting support, electricity supply volume management, and electricity market transactions.

About Fujitsu

Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 159,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.8 trillion yen (US$40 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.

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All company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice.

Date: 26 January, 2016
City: Tokyo
Company: Fujitsu Limited