The “Seikatsu Club Denki” provided by Seikatsu Club Consumers’ Co-operative Union (hereafter Seikatsu Club) has reached its fourth year since its inception, with more than 15,000 subscribers.

Seikatsu Club established Seikatsu Club Energy Co., Ltd. in October 2014 with the aim of creating a living and community that is self-sufficient in energy, and began supplying electricity to facilities of its member co-ops. Following the liberalization of electricity retailing in 2016, the "Seikatsu Club Denki" began supplying electricity to the members of Seikatsu Club.

Seikatsu Club Energy  Co., Ltd. logo

At present, about 60% of the electricity supplied by "Seikatsu Club Denki" is renewable energy, but in the future, the company aims to generate and supply electricity using 100% renewable energy. Subscribers can voluntarily participate in the "Seikatsu Club Renewable Energy Fund". Upon participating in the fund, an amount equivalent to 5% of the monthly electricity bill will be added to the usage fee as a donation to the fund. Currently, the fund has approximately 4,500 participants (as of March 2019). The fund is used for the development of renewable energy and energy saving activities.

In Nikaho City, Akita Prefecture, there is the Seikatsu Club wind turbine “Yumekaze”. In addition to purchasing electricity from the power plant, Seikatsu Club member co-ops located in the metropolitan area are focusing on revitalizing the area where the power plant is located. These co-ops have signed “a joint declaration for the creation of a sustainable renewable energy society”, established a collaboration promotion council, and fund regulations with Nikaho City.

The co-ops develop and supply food products using agricultural products from Nikaho City. Products and food fair of Nikaho City are also held at the facilities of Seikatsu Club. Apart from that, there are also exchanges between co-op members and the community, through observation tours to “Yumekaze” and sending of co-op members as lecturers of energy learning sessions for elementary school children in Nikaho.

We have more reports about power retailing business by consumer co-ops in Japan:

/eng/news/2018/08/co-op-kyushu-business-federation-launched-power-retailing.html

/eng/news/2018/10/coopdeli-denki-electricity-3-consumer-co-ops-participates-newly.html

/eng/news/2019/05/three-consumer-co-ops-in-kansai-region-launch-100-percent-renewable-electricity.html

/eng/news/2019/08/aomori-citizens-denki-electricity-starts-child-rearing-support-plan.html

The Earth Club Co., Ltd. (a power retailing company  which is a subsidiary of JCCU) website: https://earth-club.co.jp/  (Japanese only)