Extreme Tech Challenge Winner Power Ledger Announces Asset Germination Events, Opens Path to Investment in Renewable Energy

Power Ledger, the leader in decentralized, energy trading platforms, and winners of Richard Branson’s Extreme Tech Challenge, today announced details of its Asset Germination Event (AGE) token, a security token built to allow individuals and communities to share in the profits of renewable energy assets. The AGE product intends to provide these groups the ability to collectively invest in renewable energy assets like solar and wind farms and community-owned batteries. Ownership of the token will be open to retail (i.e. non-sophisticated) investors, making the token a world first. The AGE token will also open new sources of capital for energy projects and uses blockchain technology to maintain a secure asset and income register, with a view toward developing renewable energy infrastructure across the world.

“We’ve developed a model that we believe will define the world's best practice when it comes to fully regulated blockchain token offerings, while allowing people to actively help the environment by supporting renewable energy all over the world,” said Dr. Jemma Green, co-founder and chairman of Power Ledger. “AGE not only helps the global community reduce its carbon emissions, but it also charts a new path for small scale investment in renewable energy resources.”

Power Ledger’s AGE aims to increase the amount of capital flowing towards renewable energy by allowing an investor class previously denied the opportunity to participate in many projects of this nature as they were not ‘sophisticated investors.’ Most of these products are currently only available to ‘sophisticated investors’ – in Australia these include people with an annual income of at least AUD250,000, or net assets of AUD2.5 million. The AGE token will be available to investors who do not have these financial means. If an eligible investor can afford the cost of the token, they can invest in renewable energy technology and infrastructure.

AGE aims to provide investors with an asset-backed token that pays out distributions from renewable energy generation, unlike a utility token whose value corresponds to its future use. Power Ledger is in the final stages of procuring their first assets; a grid-connected battery and a commercial solar system, and will then issue tokens that pay distributions from the energy generated by those assets as part of an investment fund structure. This structure is recognized, trusted by and familiar to investors. The security of the blockchain platform may allow investors to clearly see how their investment is managed, bringing a greater level of transparency to financial interactions.

“Our mission is to democratize energy, and AGE promises to be a pivotal step in powering the decentralized energy model and opening up the market to previously untapped capital,” said Dr. Jemma Green. “When everyday people can invest in and co-own commercial renewable energy assets, we will be closer to our goal of a decentralized and democratized energy ecosystem. Our AGE token aims to create a new way for retail investors to invest in renewable energy generation – a top priority globally.”

Along with its AGE product, Power Ledger also provides several other blockchain-based energy trading platforms, including xGrid, which enables Peer-to-Peer electricity trading across the grid, and μGrid, designed for microgrid energy management, electricity metering and secure blockchain transactions.

About Power Ledger

Power Ledger is the leading peer-to-peer marketplace for renewable energy. Using blockchain technology, the platform provides a transparent, auditable and automated market trading and clearing mechanism for residential and commercial businesses to decide who they want to sell their surplus energy to and at what price.