Petrol, NGEN start strategic partnership in advanced energy solutions

Slovenian energy companies Petrol and NGEN have joined forces in the digitalization of the energy sector for more efficient energy management, better adaptation to fluctuations in electricity production and consumption, and cost optimization. They will also work together in Croatia, Serbia and other countries in the region.

Petrol has signed an umbrella agreement on business cooperation with fellow Slovenian company NGEN to develop and implement advanced energy solutions and accelerate digitalization and optimization in energy management. They said the new partnership reflects a shared commitment to the energy transition and sustainable development as they would work on technologies enabling efficient energy use and increasing the energy independence of companies and households.

The focus of cooperation is digitalization in the energy sector for more efficient energy management, better adaptation to fluctuations in electricity production and consumption, and cost optimization. Petrol said it would help the development of its services in the field of smart energy systems and added it is key to meeting its sustainable development goals and reducing its carbon footprint.

Ninčević: The partnership with NGEN opens up additional opportunities for us to optimally manage energy flows and provide smart services that contribute to the stability of the electricity grid and reduce the carbon footprint

“Energy transition is one of Petrol’s strategic directions, so with this cooperation we are introducing new solutions that enable our customers to use energy more efficiently and sustainably. The partnership with NGEN opens up additional opportunities for us to optimally manage energy flows and provide smart services that contribute to the stability of the electricity grid and reduce the carbon footprint,” said Marko Ninčević, member of the Management Board of Petrol responsible for the energy transition and supply chain.

The cooperation will focus on three areas. First is smart real-time energy management for the improvement in analysis and optimization of energy production and consumption, based on advanced digital solutions. The segment of system services for electricity grid stability includes technologies that enhance the balance between electricity production and consumption. The third area is electricity trading, based on the development of solutions for managing balance groups and optimizing electricity consumption costs.

NGEN’s solutions are designed for households, businesses, large industry, network operators

NGEN, which provides advanced energy solutions in the region, will cooperate with Petrol in introducing innovative approaches in the field of battery energy storage, system services for the stability of the electricity grid, and optimization of electricity consumption in real time.

“At NGEN, we believe that digitalization and optimization of energy flows are key to a successful energy transition. Our solutions are designed to comprehensively address the needs of all stakeholders in the energy sector – from households and businesses to large industrial systems and network operators. The partnership with Petrol allows us to combine our innovative technologies in the field of smart energy management, system services and electricity trading and integrate them into the broader energy ecosystem,” said Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of NGEN Group Roman Bernard.

He pointed out that it will enable customers to use energy more efficiently, sustainably and economically while contributing to the stability of the electricity grid and the development of advanced energy services. “We believe that the cooperation with Petrol, with the help of advanced technologies, data analytics and expertise of both partners, will significantly contribute to shaping the future of energy,” Bernard stated.

NGEN recently commissioned Austria’s largest battery facility in Fürstenfeld. The company specializes in premium battery storage systems and smart energy solutions. It is developing systems of 1.6 GWh in total capacity in European countries.

Digital solutions to gradually become available to wider range of users

At the heart of the new collaboration is the digital platform SG Connect, which provides smart real-time connectivity between electricity producers and consumers. The tool enables energy flexibility management and optimal energy storage and distribution through battery storage, helping households and businesses optimize energy costs by adjusting consumption to market conditions.

It also enables participation in the provision of system services and contributes to greater stability of the electricity grid by responding to fluctuations in the grid.

SG Connect enables energy flexibility management and optimal energy storage and distribution through battery storage

The partnership includes plans to expand the solutions to Croatia, Serbia and other markets where Petrol is already present. The two Slovenian companies added that digital solutions will gradually become available to a wider range of users, which means greater flexibility and cost-effectiveness in a rapidly changing energy environment.

One of the key advantages of this collaboration is the ability to adapt to dynamic market conditions and regulatory changes in the energy sector. Petrol and NGEN said they would develop more sustainable and efficient energy-use solutions for industrial customers, the public sector and households.

“Due to the increasing dynamism of energy markets, it is essential for companies to introduce solutions that enable proactive energy management. With this partnership, we are establishing a new standard in the field of flexibility management in the electricity market, which will benefit all customer groups,” Ninčević stressed.

Petrol, the largest energy company in Slovenia, distributes oil products and natural gas and operates service stations. It is also an electricity and gas trader. In the past two decades, it expanded to the Balkan region and entered into the fields of energy solutions, district heating and the development and operation of renewable energy projects.