From time to time, we find a vendor that was previously unknown to us. About a year ago, we came across a vendor called eZ-nergy because of their partnership with UK-based ETRM vendor Contigo. eZ-nergy offer a range of software products and services but in the context of the Contigo relationship, it its logistics solution that was of primary interest. With coverage of multiple European power and gas markets for nominations, eZ-nergy offers an alternative to other solutions on the market or a homegrown approach with it’s in the cloud software. In fact, as I learned this week, eZ-nergy also provides 24 by 7 operational services using its own software solution and so is in fact both vendor and user.
eZ-nergy is a five-year-old company based in Paris, CEO and Co-founder Johann Zamboni, told me, and already has over 40 customers across Europe. Its strategy was to focus on the logistics and operations area where there is significant complexity and where expertise is needed. The company has little interest in the broader ETRM software market other than the fact that it always has to plug its logistics solution into whatever ETRM(s) its customers use. For Mr. Zamboni, there is sufficient to do in the operations and logistics area without getting involved in the more mature and competitive ETRM space.
With around 15 staff currently, eZ-nergy also offers 24 by 7 operations outsourcing using its own software solutions. Its focus is on the intraday and day ahead market that it knows extremely well and this is where some of its other innovative solutions are targeted. As an EPEX ISV, it is directly connected to the exchange and can offer automated balancing and nomination services through its M7 Automated Trading solution. Another area of innovation is for its customers who own assets and need to communicate a variety of information to the TSO or ISO about schedules, technical constraints, reserves bid & offers and much more. Essentially, assets can be scheduled via its Asset Manager product directly with the TSO/ISO. Lastly, the company also has a REMIT reporting solution.
For Mr. Zamboni, the focus on the operational side of specific set of markets across Europe as both developer and user means that it is always focused on ease of use. An example that he cites is the use of the same global overview screen for all markets and commodities that reduces operational risks as the user always sees data the same way. The focus on the operational as opposed to the trading transaction side of the business is its other differentiator.
ComTech will be tracking eZ-nergy in the future and reporting more frequently on its progress in the market.
