As the power supply and demand continues to be tight, a mechanism called "demand response" is attracting attention, in which users are requested to save electricity during times when demand is high, such as with mobile phone applications, and the points are returned to those who cooperate.
"Demand response" is a mechanism that suppresses the demand for electric power and balances the supply and demand by responding to the user side, and electric power companies are promoting the introduction one after another.
Of these, SB Power, a subsidiary of telecommunications giant Softbank, has introduced a mechanism to request power saving through a mobile phone application for two years.
If you notify us in advance of the time when electricity demand will increase and cooperate in saving electricity more than the set level, you will receive up to 20 yen worth of points that can be exchanged for electronic money.
About 500,000 out of about 2 million users are using it, but the number of app downloads per day has more than doubled since late June due to the tight power supply and demand. ..
The demand response mechanism is also beneficial to the company as the cost of procuring electricity from the market rises during times of high demand.
The same mechanism will be introduced by TEPCO and Kyushu Electric Power, and it seems that efforts to save electricity through demand response will further expand.
Yasuhiro Sunaga, General Manager of Business Development Department of Softbank, said, "I think you can enjoy the benefits of power saving as if you were playing a game. I would like to further expand this system and lead to power saving."