Netherlands power utility TenneT is taking part in a pair of blockchain trials over the coming months focused on distributed energy transfer.

TenneT – which is owned by the Dutch government and is a major utility provider in Germany – is working with companies in both of those regions to test applications of the tech. Underlying the tests is software from IBM, which is a member of the Linux Foundation-backed Hyperledger blockchain project.

The first test, in conjunction with renewable energy marketplace operator Vandebron in the Netherlands, will focus on electric cars, with blockchain acting as a distributed signal network for cars that plug into recharge. In Germany, a separate trial conducted alongside blockchain startup Sonnen eServices will see the two firms use blockchain to create a record of electrical contributions from a series of connected batteries.

For now, the trials showcase a potential avenue for “enabling decentralized flexible energy sources to play a role in the management of the electricity grid", according to TenneT.

CEO Mel Kroon said in a statement:

The trial is the latest sign that utility operators are looking at blockchain as a possible backbone for next-generation power systems, particularly ones that offer real-time data updates and mechanisms for more efficient distribution.

Other

utilities are looking at uses in this area, and a number of blockchain startups have since emerged and developed possible applications.