I-ON (South Korea) and GridDuck (UK) announce marketing and distribution agreement
I-ON Communications, a leading unstructured data management solution and service provider based in South Korea and GridDuck, a UK based Smart Grid solution provider signed an agreement to jointly market and distribute their solutions in Europe and Asia.
The joint offering combines I-ON’s Demand Response aggregation software with GridDuck’s wireless hardware and software.
Demand Response allows energy users to receive payments for shifting non-essential use of equipment and appliances, including fridges, freezers and electric heaters, away from hours of peak demand. This is increasingly necessary as fossil fuels are replaced with renewables.
I-ON has developed a software for Demand Response aggregators, who pool interruptible loads such as heating, air con, machinery etc. on behalf of the Korean grid operator Kepco.
More than 50% of Demand Response loads in Korea are managed using I-ON’s solution.
Until recently, Demand Response was only possible with costly, specialised hardware but GridDuck discovered it could successfully adapt standard wireless plugs and switches to make it quick, cheap and easy to get started with demand response.
I-ON is also running projects in Thailand and is developing prediction and control technologies for prosumer loads, in collaboration with Gachon University and four UK universities.
“We see the great market potential with a successful foothold in our local and the Thai DR markets and are very excited about what our efforts will bring into the Smart Grid world in UK and other European countries.” said James Jae-choel Oh, CEO of I-ON Communications.
The relationship was brokered via the Enterprise Europe Offices in London and Seoul. The companies are currently integrating the two solutions for a trial to run into the New Year.