Tech Mahindra and Power Ledger test Microgrid-as-a-Service

Tech Mahindra

Tech Mahindra, a provider of digital transformation, consulting and business reengineering services, has formed partnership with Power Ledger, a blockchain-based peer-to-peer electricity trading platform provider, for Microgrid-as-a-Service.

Under this partnership, both companies are engaged in a series of technology trails aimed at bringing the benefits of energy microgrid developments to India’s booming urban population, through Microgrid-as-a-Service.

The Microgrid-as-a-Service or MaaS is an integrated platform developed by Tech Mahindra that enables building owners, campuses, smart cities and communities to produce and manage their own electricity affordably and even trade in case of excess generation.

During the trials, the partners will deploy Tech Mahindra’s MaaS platform integrated with Power Ledger’s blockchain-enabled energy trading capability at the test sites in India.

Atul Kunwar, president and CTO, Tech Mahindra, said, “Tech Mahindra’s belief in its internal start-up to bring digital disruptions to different industries is proved by the success of MaaS in the energy industry. This disruptive technology will provide a model for energy service provision for thousands of communities across India, and this will also benefit markets like the US, Canada and UK for modernization of grid through microgrids.”

Power Ledger uses blockchain technology to create an immutable record of energy generation and consumption allowing buying and selling of energy in a simple and autonomous manner with complete confidence.

Tech Mahindra’s microgrid technology allows for a seamless integration of distributed generation within a discreet community, managing power quality, reliability and safety in a low-cost and sustainable way.

David Martin, managing director, Power Ledger, said, “Trialing the energy trading platform in a market like India is a major opportunity to change the way communities sourced the energy required to take part in a modern global economy.”

Martin addes, “Bringing autonomous, largely renewable microgrids integrated with Power Ledger’s technology to India, in partnership with Tech Mahindra, would give us a chance to demonstrate the potential of cutting-edge technologies and unlock the economic opportunities that flow to communities from having a secure energy source.”

The trial will initially involve Power Ledger using consumer data from Tech Mahindra’s sites to prove the accuracy and security of the former’s trading platform. This will also help Tech Mahindra to explore the value proposition for consumers and understand the regulatory and technical implications of the peer-to-peer trading model.

The trial will begin in late 2017 at Tech Mahindra’s campuses in India and run for a period of twelve months.

[email protected]