Ascend Analytics Partners with Tokyo Gas America for ERCOT Storage Project Launch

Ascend Analytics Teams Up with Tokyo Gas America for ERCOT Storage Initiative

On June 25, 2025, Ascend Analytics, a prominent supplier of market intelligence and analytical tools for the power sector, announced a significant partnership with Tokyo Gas America Ltd. (TGA). This collaboration marks the launch of their bid optimization platform, SmartBidder™, at TGA's 174 MW Longbow battery energy storage system (BESS) project located in Brazoria County, Texas.

The Longbow project, acquired by TGA from Clean Capital Partners, exemplifies the company's dedication to delivering clean and innovative energy solutions in the competitive ERCOT-Houston region. As demand for electricity rises in Houston amidst a backdrop of price volatility in ERCOT, the Longbow facility aims to enhance power supply stability by supplying a variety of energy and ancillary service products.

Ascend's SmartBidder will play a crucial role in boosting the financial outcomes of TGA's operations through customized bid strategies that consider specific nodal forecasts and asset constraints. It utilizes risk-based optimizations for both day-ahead and real-time bidding, ensuring optimal performance in this dynamic market.

In preparation for the project's commercial launch on May 16, Ascend also provided TGA's project development team with detailed insights into ERCOT market trends, along with analytics that shaped their market strategy and risk management framework. Leveraging the forecasting abilities embedded in Ascend's Market Intelligence platform (AscendMI™), TGA could effectively navigate the current and anticipated market conditions in ERCOT. This included variations in zonal and nodal pricing, essential for understanding the intricacies of power trading in the region.

Adding to the utility of SmartBidder, simulations reflecting dynamic bidding strategies, including the crucial ERCOT Contingency Reserve Service (ECRS), allowed TGA to refine their overarching asset management strategy for Longbow.

Eiichiro Fujii, CEO of Tokyo Gas America, emphasized the significance of this initiative, stating, "As we embark on our inaugural venture into the strategically important ERCOT BESS market, it is vital that we establish confidence in Longbow's financial and operational performance to ensure project success. Collaborating with Ascend not only provides us with a competitive edge in bidding for ERCOT's energy markets but also delivers a foundational understanding of the evolving dynamics influencing opportunities amid Texas’s energy transition."

In a remark addressing the ongoing challenges posed by ERCOT's renewable adoption rates, Gary Dorris, CEO of Ascend Analytics, noted, "This swift change is crafting complex new dynamics within power markets. For both experienced investors in storage and newcomers, leveraging these emerging dynamics to harness available opportunities demands profound insights into the factors influencing scarcity and price shifts. TGA, with its commitment to innovative solutions in energy markets, is well-positioned to capitalize on these trends, and we are proud to support them in profitably advancing the energy transition."

About Ascend Analytics

Ascend Analytics specializes in providing advanced market intelligence and analytics solutions tailored for the power industry. Its tools empower decision-makers across various sectors, including energy supply, investment markets, and procurement, to efficiently plan, operate, and manage risks associated with renewable energy and storage assets. The insights from Ascend enable stakeholders to navigate the complexities of the rapidly evolving energy landscape confidently.

About Tokyo Gas America

Tokyo Gas America Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd., engages in diverse operations in North America, ranging from upstream activities like gas field development to downstream functions that include power generation, natural gas distribution, LNG export, and participation in the renewables market.

This partnership between Ascend Analytics and Tokyo Gas America signals a robust stepping stone in harnessing innovative energy solutions for the future while enhancing the operational effectiveness of energy storage projects within the ERCOT framework.