PROJECT
e.CYCLE
Promoting local production, consumption of renewable energy, and inter-city energy exchange, aiming to establish a circular energy system within local communities.
WHY
How can renewable energy benefit local communities?
Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are major causes of climate change. The reduction of greenhouse gases is vital for the sustainability of the earth, and there has been a global movement in recent years to develop renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass energy.
In Japan, the FIT (Feed-in Tariff for renewable energy) system that came into effect in 2012 has led to a rapid growth in the number of renewable energy power generation facilities throughout the country. However, in many cases, these facilities have compromised the local landscape and failed to return the profits generated to local communities, despite having consumed local resources. As a result, more communities have not only become indifferent to renewable energy power plants but are even showing some resistance to them, which has created a major faultline between renewable energy power generation facilities and these communities.
Japan’s proportion of natural energy generation and 2030 targets
Challenges faced in promotion of local energy sources
Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are major causes of climate change. The reduction of greenhouse gases is vital for the sustainability of the earth, and there has been a global movement in recent years to develop renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass energy.
In Japan, the FIT (Feed-in Tariff for renewable energy) system that came into effect in 2012 has led to a rapid growth in the number of renewable energy power generation facilities throughout the country. However, in many cases, these facilities have compromised the local landscape and failed to return the profits generated to local communities, despite having consumed local resources. As a result, more communities have not only become indifferent to renewable energy power plants but are even showing some resistance to them, which has created a major faultline between renewable energy power generation facilities and these communities.
HOW
A local circular and symbiotic sphere for renewable energy aimed at creating a promising future.
Machi Mirai. Co., Ltd. is a company that runs an energy aggregation business that facilitates local production for local consumption and intercity distribution of renewable energy, as well as a consulting business for new local electric power and model decarbonization areas. Eisuke Tachikawa, Representative of NOSIGNER, who shares the company’s philosophy and business goals of creating a sustainable society where energy and communities can coexist and who will join the company’s management team as a director in 2022, has assisted with the re-branding and formulation of the business strategy of the company.
The company’s “e.CYCLE” is an aggregation service that facilitates local production for local consumption and intercity distribution of renewable energy by taking over electricity from renewable energy power plants interested in contributing to local communities and selling the power to retailers on a wholesale basis. The company is involved in various projects to revitalize local communities, including the establishment of a system where electricity from local renewable energy power plants is amassed and bidded on by electric power companies, with 75% of the sales commission returned to local communities in the form of a regional revitalization fund.
Ever since this service was known in the past as “Good Around,” it has gradually expanded to various regions in Japan through cooperation with local governments nationwide and collaboration with power generation companies and electricity retailers. However, the details, principles, and systems of the service were difficult to grasp, which impeded its widespread adoption.
As part of the rebranding, we have changed the name of this service to “e.CYCLE” and created an “e.” logo that encompasses the various services. Our strategy was to streamline the brand in anticipation of other businesses Machi Mirai. Co., Ltd. will develop moving forward.
As the first letter of “earth” and “energy,” the “e.” in “e.CYCLE” embodies the desire to create a promising future for both local communities and the earth by creating a virtuous cycle for sustainable energy. To underscore the relationship between “e.” and the earth, we have also adjusted the relative sizes of “e” and “.” in the logo design to resemble those of the earth and the Moon.
The name “e.CYCLE” immediately conveys within and beyond Japan the fact that it is an energy-related service whose principle is to create a virtuous cycle where energy and communities can coexist.
By having local governments with which the company has entered into collaborative agreements becomes e.CYCLE partners and by developing local brands such as “e.CYCLE YOKOHAMA” and “e.CYCLE AIZUWAKAMATSU” that allow each local community to work on the local distribution of renewable energy independently, it has become possible to visualize this service as a network that extends across the entire country.
In addition, we have also developed a branding strategy to streamline the names of services such as “e.BID” (the company’s bidding system) and “e.BOX” (the company’s renewable energy server business) so that it is easier for others to have a good overview of the services offered.
WILL
Establishing a sustainable energy ecosystem as a standard for the future.
Machi Mirai. Co., Ltd.’s vision is to establish the widespread adoption of renewable energy and a symbiotic relationship between renewable energy and local communities as standards for the future. In FY2022, 15% of all municipalities in Japan that have been selected as model decarbonization areas are areas where the company has provided consulting services. In addition, e.CYCLE has now developed into a platform that distributes approximately 0.1% of all renewable energy in the entire country.
More plans will be unveiled in the future for various businesses under the e. brand aimed at creating a virtuous cycle for renewable energy that makes local communities more sustainable by channeling the profits generated through renewable energy toward sustainable regional development.
The warped relationship between renewable energy power plants and local communities as well as in the intercity distribution of renewable energy is a global issue that is not limited to Japan. We will continue to work alongside Machi Mirai. Co., Ltd. as we seek to create a future in which similar services and systems can expand throughout the world through branding with a global reach that resonates with people all around the world.
INFORMATION
- What
- e.CYCLE
- When
- 2022
- Where
- Yokohama, Japan
- Client
- Scope
- Branding / Branding Strategy / Logo / CI Guideline / Naming / Business card / Motion logo / Promotional items / Infographics / Web and Front End / Promotion Strategy Support
CREDIT
- Art Direction
- NOSIGNER (Eisuke Tachikawa)
- Graphic Design
- NOSIGNER (Eisuke Tachikawa, Moe Shibata, Ayano Kosaka)
- Web Design
- NOSIGNER (Eisuke Tachikawa, Ryo Fukusawa)
- Development
- NOSIGNER (Naoki Hijikata, Kazuhiro Ando)
- Motion Design
- Aco Hsu, NOSIGNER (Eisuke Tachikawa, Moe Shibata, Kaining He)
- Photograph
- NOSIGNER (Yuichi Hisatsugu)
