Skipping Stone Releases Win-Win Solution White Paper to Finally Solve Gas & Electric Market Synchronization

Boston – May 22, 2024 – Skipping Stone President, Greg Lander, and CEO, Peter Weigand have collaborated to develop a comprehensive set of solutions to finally solve the elusive gas and electric market synchronization issues. This paper is a follow-on to the original paper published in 2013 that resulted in several operational changes to address key issues, however, didn’t result in fully solving the synchronization issues.

Now that the markets have adopted past rules modifications, which helped both markets, the authors are putting forth in the paper a series of additional structural market modifications that address the full solution set. A sampling of new solutions include:

  • Hourly Pipeline Park & Loan Services
  • Load Factor-Based Rates
  • Firm Shipper Revenue Sharing
  • New Pipeline Expansion Model
  • New Pipeline Revenue Stream
  • ISO Operational Coordination

Both an explanation of the synchronization issues and the authors’ proposed solutions are contained in the full white paper. The white paper is free and available for download on either SkippingStone.com or CapacityCenter.com

“Several years ago, pipeline rules were modified to address synchronization issues. Those rules helped but didn’t solve 100% of the problem. Since then, the electric grid has and will continue to shift to more renewables. This shift puts more pressure on gas-fired generation to deliver on call, which in turn relies on pipelines to deliver in a manner that isn’t operationally and by rule how pipelines are supposed to work. Essentially pipelines are expected to provide a free ramp-up, ramp-down service to generators, which is not fair to pipelines and their firm shippers. At the same time, since it is free, generators are at risk of ISO penalties and potential blackouts because there isn’t a market structure to address the need for hourly gas service for generators,” says Greg Lander, Skipping Stone President.

Peter Weigand, Skipping Stone CEO, continues, “Our goal with this white paper is to lay out a proposed solution set that various stakeholders can engage with Greg in a healthy collaboration that hopefully leads to new market rules that address the key issues.

 

Global Media Contact:

Nancy Young
Skipping Stone, LLC
NYoung@skippingstone.com
(832) 279-3029

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Skipping Stone Wins International Energy Consultancy of the Year 2023 Award

AI award

Los Angeles – January 25, 2024 – Skipping Stone has been named International Energy Consultancy of the Year 2023 by Acquisition International publications. According to AI, Skipping Stone was awarded for “exceling at collaborating with clients to curate new ideas, tactics, and strategies, and once a strategy is clearly defined, the team provides a host of stellar services to turn the strategy into demonstrable success.”

In 2020 and 2021, AI awarded Skipping Stone USA energy consultancy of the year. This is the first international award for the company.

“We made a strategic shift to grow our international business a few years ago,” said Peter Weigand, Skipping Stone Chairman and CEO. “Our focus on providing quality service to our clients has been recognized with several awards in the U.S. It’s a tribute to our international teams’ hard work to be honored by AI,” continued Weigand.

Global Media Contact:
Nancy Young
Skipping Stone, LLC
NYoung@skippingstone.com

Japan Media Contact:
Risa Nakayama
Skipping Stone, GK
RNakakayama@skippingstone.com

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Skipping Stone Releases 2024 Energy Transformation Trends Global Market Survey Results

Los Angeles – February 1, 2024 – Skipping Stone surveyed energy executives across the globe to get their views on a variety of energy transformation topics to gauge trends for 2024 and beyond. Survey results compare views from the U.S., Japan, and other global leaders.

On many topics, energy leaders’ views diverge significantly from government goals or mandates. A few examples include:

  • Japan has set a 2050 carbon neutral mandate as have many U.S. states and over 140 countries.
    • 75% of U.S. energy executives and 69% of Japanese and other global survey participants view this target as unlikely or very unlikely to be achieved.
  • Regulations driving the adoption of EVs are widespread globally with many countries mandating the elimination of sales of petrol vehicles by 2035 or thereabouts.
    • About a third of energy executives believe that by 2050 EVs will comprise between 50 and 70% of all vehicles, with very few that think they will exceed 70%.
  • Globally there is massive pressure to eliminate coal plants as a key driver to reach carbon reduction goals.
    • 38% of both Japanese and other global survey participants believe there will always be coal plants, as do 24% of U.S. participants.

“It was eye-opening to study the results on topics like the examples above as well as hydrogen, micro nuclear, Russian LNG, carbon capture, AI, and others. With all the government mandates, subsidies, investments, press, hype, and global events like COP24, one would expect a more optimistic viewpoint from the energy community than the results show,” said Skipping Stone Chairman and CEO Peter Weigand.

“With the Japanese government supporting and pushing hard in most of the areas we surveyed, it was interesting to see that in many cases the Japanese energy community doesn’t believe the goals will be met,” said Hiroshi Okuyama, President of Skipping Stone Japan.

For more information and a complimentary copy of the survey results, please email a media contact listed below.

Nancy Young, Global Marketing

nyoung@skippingstone.com

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TESLA Asia Pacific Opens Tokyo Office and Partners with Skipping Stone

Announces New Client Promotion

Tokyo, Japan April 5, 2023. TESLA Asia Pacific is delighted to announce its new office in Tokyo as well as a partnership with Skipping Stone. TESLA specializes in delivering power and gas demand forecasting and has been providing accurate forecasts to over 200 utility companies in Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and the Americas for over three decades.

TESLA has been providing Japanese retailers, power traders and transmission system operators with reliable power demand forecasts since 2017. Clients utilize the TESLA solutions to help with supply and demand balancing, reduce retail imbalance charges and form a view on the market.

The weather-sensitive TESLA model is updated each hour as new weather and demand data become available. The 14-day forecast horizon with medium- to long-term percentile extension covers physical and financial power trading requirements. Among other things, the TESLA model considers weather, holidays/festivals, seasonality and trends such as policy-induced demand destruction.

“Our Japanese offering and client base has grown tremendously since we first entered the Japan market in 2017 after our high score in TEPCO’s Load Forecasting Technology Contest. We are excited to take it to the next level with a new office in Tokyo and dedicated staff to continue providing our clients with the gold standard TESLA service,” said Tony Baker, Managing Director of TESLA Asia Pacific.

Tetsuya Totsuka, Japan Business Development Manager of TESLA Asia Pacific added, “It’s great to see the TESLA Japan service evolve from a single forecast for Tokyo based off a single weather station to coverage across all nine regions with 50 weather stations from multiple weather vendors. Additionally, Solar and Wind generation forecasts were included for all subscribers in March 2023.”

“We are excited to partner with TESLA to provide business development support and more importantly work with TESLA and their Japanese clients to develop and implement new customized solutions,” said Hiroshi Okuyama, President of Skipping Stone, GK.

New Client Promotion
For a limited time, TESLA is offering new clients free system use on two different products in a risk-free method to learn why other TESLA Japan clients have come to rely on TESLA solutions.

  • 3 Months Free Custom Power Demand Forecast Trial for Retailers
  • 2 Months Free System Demand Forecast for Capacity Market Participants

For details, please contact Tetsuya Totsuka, 03-6403-1506, ttotsuka@teslaforecast.com

About TESLA
TESLA is a global leader in forecasting solutions. The company has achieved the highest degree of accuracy. TESLA solutions are customizable and flexible to enable tailoring to each client’s unique requirements. The company has a variety of product offerings and recently rolled out new models to forecast solar and wind to support the FIP scheme. The firm has offices in the United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Romania, and Japan. For more information, visit www.teslaforecast.com.

About Skipping Stone
Skipping Stone is an energy consulting and technology services firm that assists a wide variety of market participants to navigate market changes, capitalize on opportunities and manage business risks. Skipping Stone has delivered measurable bottom-line results for over 270 clients globally. Headquartered in Boston, the firm has offices in Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Singapore, and London. For more information, visit www.SkippingStone.com or www.SkippingStone.co.jp.

Media Contacts
Tetsuya Totsuka
03-6403-1506
ttotsuka@teslaforecast.com

Risa Nakayama
03-6435-6600
Japan_info@skippingstone.com

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Takashi Saka Joins Skipping Stone Japan as Senior Consultant

Takashi SakaTokyo, Japan – November 8, 2022 – Skipping Stone, a global energy markets strategy consulting and implementation services firm, announced today that Takashi Saka has joined the firm as Senior Consultant, Skipping Stone Japan. Saka will be responsible for leading the company’s Japan risk management services, trading, and wholesale client engagements for ETRM technologies initiatives.

During his 39 years of experience in global commodities trading and risk management, Saka has developed extensive relationships in the Southeast Asia, Singapore, and other global commodity trading hubs. In his early days he served as a head of London Metal Exchange trading business and NYMEX, ICE Oil Futures broking business.

Concurrent with the deregulation of Japan’s power market, Saka moved to Bloomberg as a commodity specialist. His understanding of Energy Trading Risk Management (ETRM) has been enhanced through working with NDFS, FIS Japan and PwC in an energy advisory capacity.

“Japanese energy companies have become much more active trading Japan’s power and gas markets, and retailers are beginning to utilize forward markets for hedging end use loads. Saka’s dual experience in trading and hedging and his ETRM experience is rare in Japan and will be invaluable to our clients,” said Peter Weigand, Chairman and CEO of Skipping Stone.

“I’m very happy to welcome an industry veteran as well as (in Japanese) my “Senpai” in the physical and financial commodity trading world where I came from,” added Hiroshi Okuyama, President of Skipping Stone Japan. “His expertise, skills and experience will undoubtedly bridge customers’ needs for power business risk management solutions and the most advanced and affordable technologies. I’m very excited to work with Mr. Saka.”

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Hiroshi Okuyama promoted to President of Skipping Stone Japan

Hiroshi Okuyama image

Tokyo, Japan – November 1, 2022 – Skipping Stone, a global energy markets strategy consulting and implementation services firm, today announced the promotion of Hiroshi Okuyama as President of Skipping Stone Japan. Prior to the promotion, Okuyama was the Executive Vice President leading the company’s risk management services and wholesale markets practice areas where he has successfully engaged with both Japanese and International companies in the areas of commodity trading, futures, risk management business practices and the related growth strategies.

Skipping Stone Japan’s former President, Shuichi Kishida, has resigned and decided to move to a position that utilizes his years of experience developing energy asset projects.

Mr. Okuyama’s extensive experience in global commodities trading and risk management has included positions of increasing responsibility from trading on the commodity exchange floor in New York to ultimately the presidency of a subsidiary of a Japanese futures trading company in New York and US-Japan joint venture proprietary trading firms with trading operations in New York, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan as well as its operations consulting firm.

As president of the futures trading company in New York, Mr. Okuyama led the company in changing and adapting their strategies and risk management practices to fit the evolving commodities markets. Upon his return to Japan in multiple leadership roles with a securities company, he helped develop their international business and corporate strategies.

In his new role as president, Mr. Okuyama will continue to leverage Skipping Stone’s global experiences to bring best practices to the Japan market, as well as to leverage his extensive knowledge and relationships in Japan to assist international trading clients entering the Japan energy markets.

“Hiroshi’s promotion to President after two years with Skipping Stone is a natural fit and aligns with our shifting strategic focus toward trading and risk management,” said Peter Weigand, Chairman and CEO of Skipping Stone’s global companies.

Media Contact:
Skipping Stone Japan
+81 3-5521-1070

ranakayama@skippingstone.com

Skipping Stone Global
nyoung@skippingstone.com

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Skipping Stone Receives Energy Consulting Award Two Years in a Row

Los Angeles, CA – August 6, 2021 –Skipping Stone has been recognized as the Best Specialist Energy Consulting Firm – USA, a Global Excellence Award, for the second year in a row by Acquisition International magazine.

The magazine hand picks Global Excellence recipients each year based on the comprehensive analysis and research undertaken by the group. According to AI, “our proven approach ensures that selection of candidates is purely on merit – not popularity – thus recognizing and rewarding the very best in the business that are succeeding in their endeavors, innovating, growing, and improving.”

Skipping Stone’s business model is unique because in addition to traditional professional services engagements, the company will also undertake new product launches, startups, and global expansion projects on a shared risk and reward basis.  The Skipping Stone team is unlike most others as it is comprised of former CEO’s, entrepreneurs, and energy industry veterans. This team and business model have resulted in thousands of successful projects in over 50 countries.

“While our focus is on client successes, it’s always a pleasure to be recognized by the press for what we do,” said Peter Weigand, Skipping Stone Chairman and CEO.

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Covid-19 one year later – energy market impact study released

Boston, Massachusetts – June 2, 2021 – Skipping Stone, a global energy consulting and market services firm, released today the results of their follow-up study on coronavirus impacts on energy markets. The original study conducted in March 2020, when Covid-19 was new, measured what companies planned to do in response to stay-at-home orders and other societal changes.  A year later, in April 2021, a follow-up survey to the same companies measures the differences between what was planned and what happened.

One of the largest business impacts of COVID-19 has been the shift to a home-based work environment. By the end of March 2020, 72% of energy workers were already working from home. In April 2021, only 10% of that same workforce has returned to working at the company facilities. Post pandemic energy technology-related companies anticipate over half their workers will remain at home, and even utilities expect as many as 24% of their workforce will be working from home.

In March 2020, 76% thought the pandemic would be over by the end of 2020. Obviously, that did not happen. In the current survey, 28% believe things are back to normal, while 42% believe normalcy will occur by the end of 2021 and 19% predict it will be sometime in 2022.

A variety of cost-cutting measures were planned in March 2020, such as layoffs, cutting or delaying projects, and others as companies anticipated severe financial impacts. Fortunately, the number of companies executing these plans was less than expected. Results are more positive as 23% of those surveyed are back to hiring and 30% have reinstated or started delayed projects.

For a complimentary copy of the study results, click here.

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Capacity Center Releases 2020 Pipeline Capacity Market Year in Review Report

Boston, Mass – April 12, 2021 – Capacity Center, a Skipping Stone subsidiary, released the 2020 Pipeline Capacity Market Year in Review report today. In 2020, 768 separate entities completed more than 61,000 capacity release trades on over 100 pipelines.

“Notably 90% of capacity release trades are in the spot market with terms of less than a year,” said Skipping Stone President Greg Lander. “While the Top 5 trading firms are the same firms as last year, there was a good bit of jockeying in the rest of the Top 20. The two biggest movers were NRG, which jumped from number 12 to number 6, and Vitol who jumped from number 25 to number 12.”

The report is packed with charts and analysis for 2020, including:

  • Top 20 Pipeline Capacity Traders
  • Top 20 Capacity Pipelines and Release Percentages
  • Top 10 Producer-Marketers Holding Firm Capacity
  • Top 10 LDCs Holding Firm Capacity
  • Trading Partner Diversity Rankings… and much more

For your complimentary report click here.

For more information about the rankings and analysis, contact inquiry1@capacitycenter.com or (978) 717-6144.
For an editable press copy contact nyoung@skippingstone.com.

About Capacity Center

Capacity Center is owned and operated by the energy markets consulting firm, Skipping Stone LLC. Its automated services monitor capacity release offers, system notices and deal award information, and provide available transactions and their details as they occur to its customers via email for trading, risk and regulatory compliance, and for deal origination and valuation purposes. Please visit CapacityCenter.com for more information.

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Skipping Stone Adds Hiroshi Okuyama as New Executive Vice President in Japan

Tokyo, Japan – October 12, 2020 – Skipping Stone, a global energy markets consulting and technology services firm, has appointed Hiroshi Okuyama as Executive Vice President to lead the company’s growing risk management services and wholesale markets practice areas. He will be engaged with both Japanese and International companies in the areas of commodity trading, futures, risk management business practices and the related growth strategies.

Mr. Okuyama has extensive experience in global commodities trading and risk management. He has held positions of increasing responsibility from trading on the commodity exchange floor in New York to ultimately the Presidency of Unicom International and US Japan joint venture proprietary trading firms with trading operations in New York, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan.

As President of Unicom International, Mr. Okuyama led the company in changing and adapting their strategies and risk management practices to fit the evolving commodities markets. Upon his return to Japan in multiple leadership roles with Nissan Securities, he helped develop their international business and corporate strategies.

Working closely with John Brown, Skipping Stone’s Partner in charge of global risk management services, ETRM systems and energy technologies, Mr. Okuyama will leverage the company’s global experiences to bring best practices to the Japan market.  He will also leverage his extensive knowledge and relationships in Japan to assist Skipping Stone’s international trading clients entering the Japan energy markets.

“I’m honored that Hiroshi has agreed to join our company,” said Peter Weigand, Chairman and CEO of Skipping Stone.  “Hiroshi fits extremely well with our leadership team of former executives with global experience.”

Shuichi Kishida, Skipping Stone Japan President commented, “Adding Hiroshi’s deep experience in wholesale markets, international commodities trading and risk management to our Japan team, will reinforce our ability to serve our clients’ expanding requirements in the liberalized power and gas markets.”

Media Contact:
Skipping Stone Japan
+81 3-5521-1070

Skipping Stone US
nyoung@skippingstone.com

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