Higashihiroshima Smart Energy

What Higashihiroshima Smart Energy does

Higashihiroshima Smart Energy Co., Ltd. (東広島スマートエネルギー株式会社) is a privately held regional power utility (地域新電力) founded on February 28, 2020 and co-owned by Higashihiroshima City together with Hiroshima Gas, Hiroshima Bank, Kamo Regional Forest Cooperative, Chugoku Technology Consultant, and Energia Solution & Service, with paid-in capital of ¥10 million. The company is operationally co-located within Higashihiroshima City Hall's Environment Advanced City Promotion Division and serves the single geographic market of Higashihiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, which was designated a Decarbonization Leading Area (脱炭素先行地域) by Japan's Ministry of the Environment in 2024.

The company's core business model combines four operating lines: (1) procurement of locally generated renewable energy (including post-FIT household solar) and resale to city-owned facilities, the primary revenue stream; (2) ESCO energy-saving equipment installation at municipal facilities; (3) community contribution initiatives funded from profits; and (4) subscription-based residential solar PV and battery service (ひがしひろしま sun2 ソーラー), launched November 26, 2025 in partnership with TRENDE Corporation, offering zero-initial-cost installation with 15-year fixed monthly billing and equipment transfer at contract end. Supporting infrastructure includes an environmental learning platform (のん太の自然発見パーク) co-developed with Kindai University and presented at the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025.

Go-to-market is government-anchored and community-embedded rather than commercial: direct contracts with Higashihiroshima City's municipal facilities form the revenue base, while consumer acquisition for the residential service runs through TRENDE's digital platform in designated decarbonization zones. The customer base is effectively one city, with the same municipality acting as primary customer, founding investor, and policy partner; this concentration defines both the company's structural defensibility (regulatory and distribution moat) and its principal commercial risk.

Name

Higashihiroshima Smart Energy

Legal name

東広島スマートエネルギー株式会社

Website

https://site-hse.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Higashihiroshima Smart Energy is a municipally co-owned regional power utility (地域新電力) in Higashihiroshima City, Japan, supplying renewable electricity to city facilities, running ESCO energy-saving projects, and offering zero-upfront residential solar+battery subscriptions in partnership with TRENDE.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Electricity Distribution

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112), Electric Bulk Power Transmission and Control (221121)

SIC

Electric Services (4911), Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Interconnection, Permitting & Grid Services for DERs (EUAMAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Smart Energy Management (Meters, EV Chargers, Solar/Battery Monitors) Retail (CRACAGAI), Electrical Systems O&M (Substations, Transformers, Switchgear, Protection & Controls) (EUAMAGAH)

Keywords

• Municipal energy supply
• Renewable energy procurement
• ESCO energy services
• Residential solar leasing
• Community decarbonization

Headquarters

HQ city

Higashi-hiroshima

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. 市有施設への売電 (Sales of electricity to city-owned facilities): The company purchases renewable energy and supplies electricity to municipal facilities of Higashihiroshima City. Since July 2020 (令和2年7月), the company has been sequentially supplying power to city facilities. This is the primary revenue-generating business line.
2. 市内再生可能エネルギーの買電 (Purchase of renewable energy within the city): Purchase of renewable energy (including post-FIT household solar systems) within Higashihiroshima City for supply to municipal facilities.
3. ESCO事業等省エネルギー貢献事業 (ESCO and energy-saving contribution): Implementation of ESCO (Energy Service Company) contracts and energy-efficient equipment installation at municipal facilities. Revenue derived from energy cost savings achieved at client facilities.
4. 地域還元事業 (Regional contribution project): Support for community events, awareness activities, and local problem-solving initiatives. Revenue is reinvested into the community rather than retained as profit.
5. ひがしひろしまsun2ソーラー (Solar + battery residential service): Monthly flat-rate subscription service for residential solar PV and battery systems. Customers pay a fixed monthly fee over 15 years with zero initial cost; equipment is transferred to customer at contract end.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Higashihiroshima Smart Energy is a regional power utility that procures locally generated renewable energy and resells electricity to Higashihiroshima City's municipal facilities under long-term contracts. It also implements ESCO energy-saving retrofits at public facilities, runs community contribution programs, and offers a zero-initial-cost 15-year residential solar PV and battery subscription service (ひがしひろしま sun2 ソーラー) for detached homeowners in designated decarbonization zones.

Product overview

Higashihiroshima Smart Energy is a regional power company established by Higashihiroshima City and local businesses to promote decarbonization. The company operates four core business lines: (1) purchasing renewable energy within the city for supply to municipal facilities, (2) selling electricity to city-owned facilities, (3) ESCO energy-saving projects, and (4) community contribution projects. The flagship consumer-facing product is the ひがしひろしま sun² ソーラー residential solar and battery service. The company also operates のん太の自然発見パーク, an environmental education platform for citizens covering climate, water, energy, and biodiversity topics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ひがしひろしま sun2 ソーラー: 住宅向け太陽光発電・蓄電池サービス。初期費用0円で太陽光発電システムや蓄電池を設置し、月額定額料金で提供するサービス（15年間の契約期間後、設備を顧客に譲渡）。
• のん太の自然発見パーク
• エコクイズゲーム

Products and services

• Electricity supply to city-owned facilities (市有施設への売電) Long-term contracted supply of electricity to Higashihiroshima City's municipal facilities, with monthly-published fuel adjustment fees and an active power supply facility list. The primary revenue driver of the company.
• ESCO energy-saving contribution projects (ESCO事業等省エネルギー貢献事業) Energy Service Company (ESCO) projects that introduce environmentally-conscious and energy-efficient equipment at city facilities, reducing energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Revenue is tied to the energy savings achieved at the client facility.
• Local renewable energy procurement (市内の再生可能エネルギーの買電) Procurement of renewable energy generated within Higashihiroshima City, including post-FIT residential solar, for redistribution to municipal facilities. Provides a market and route to market for local renewable generators.
• ひがしひろしま sun² ソーラー (Higashihiroshima sun² Solar — residential solar PV and battery subscription) Zero-initial-cost 15-year subscription service for residential solar PV systems and battery storage for detached homeowners in Higashihiroshima City. Customers pay a fixed monthly fee; equipment is installed, operated, and maintained by the service provider, and ownership transfers to the customer at the end of the 15-year term.

Quantifiable outcome

• Municipal facilities have been receiving electricity supply since July 2020, with multiple facilities on the active supply list as of April 2026
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tokyo Century Corporation (東京センチュリー株式会社)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 March 2026Tokyo Century signed a three-way cooperation agreement with Higashihiroshima Smart Energy and Higashihiroshima City to promote regional decarbonization. The partnership combines the city's policy capabilities, HSE's local energy supply capacity, and Tokyo Century's decarbonization expertise to develop a replicable regional decarbonization model. Cooperation areas include renewable energy expansion, energy-saving equipment promotion, and bulk electricity receiving system design. Signed March 30, 2026 (Reiwa 8).
• Kindai University Faculty of Engineering (近畿大学工学部)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 February 2025Kindai University engineering students, under Professor Kataoka Takayuki, created environmental learning web content for the 'のん太の自然発見パーク' platform as commissioned research from Higashihiroshima Smart Energy. Content was presented at Higashihiroshima Arts and Culture Hall KURARAA in March 2025.
• TRENDE Corporation (ＴＲＥＮＤＥ株式会社)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2024TRENDE Corporation and Higashihiroshima Smart Energy signed a partnership agreement for regional decarbonization in Higashihiroshima City. The two companies jointly provide the 'ひがしひろしまsun2ソーラー' residential solar PV and battery service, with TRENDE providing technology/platform capabilities and HSE providing local energy supply and operations. TRENDE is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo (Representative Directors: Seno Tomoyuki and Takahashi Yousuke).
• Higashihiroshima City (東広島市)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigashihiroshima City is a co-founding investor in Higashihiroshima Smart Energy and the primary customer for electricity supply and ESCO services. The city provides policy capabilities and serves as the anchor government partner in all major decarbonization initiatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• みんなの電 力 / Minna Denki: Japanese renewable-energy-focused power retailer (PPS) sourcing from small-scale producers across Japan. Closely comparable business model of procuring renewable energy from distributed generators and reselling to end customers.
• TRENDE Corporation: Tokyo-based renewable energy company that operates a residential solar+battery subscription platform; joint partner with HSE on the ひがしひろしま sun² ソーラー service. Directly comparable in P2P-style distributed renewables retail and subscription-based solar+battery delivery to Japanese consumers.
• Sharing Energy Co., Ltd. Japanese community-renewable retailer focused on solar and biomass procurement and supply to households and municipalities. Closely aligned with HSE's municipal-facility supply and small-scale renewable aggregation model.
• Looop Inc. Japanese renewable energy retailer and solar services provider offering residential solar and electricity supply. Operates similar decentralized renewable energy retail and consumer-facing solar+battery services.
• 自然電力 / Shizen Energy: Independent Japanese renewable energy developer and IPP with retail and community energy operations. Comparable in developing, operating, and supplying community-scale renewable generation across Japan.

Broad incumbents

• ENEOS Corporation: Major Japanese energy company with renewable energy generation, electricity retail, and energy services. Operates broadly in the same utility and energy transition space as HSE, with much larger scale across multiple verticals.
• Chugoku Electric Power Co., Inc. Regional utility that is the incumbent electricity supplier across Hiroshima Prefecture, including Higashihiroshima City. Overlaps with HSE as a wholesale grid operator and potential competitor for municipal supply contracts in the same geography.
• TEPCO Energy Partner: Retail electricity arm of Tokyo Electric Power, operating as a large-scale PPS and energy services provider. Comparable as an established electricity retailer offering renewable tariffs and ESCO-style services to corporate and municipal customers.

Emerging players

• Renova, Inc. Japanese renewable energy developer and operator with solar, wind, and biomass assets and ESG-aligned electricity supply. Comparable as a community/regional-scale renewable developer entering retail and corporate PPAs.
• パネイル / Panneer: Japanese renewable energy company developing community and corporate PPAs, with overlap to HSE's renewable procurement and supply operations at a similar early-to-mid stage scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Higashihiroshima Smart Energy