Centrica and enerbility successfully verifying eCM Interoperability

Bilateral tests between enerbility software gmbh, Austria, and Centria PLC, UK, with the goal to show the exchange and matching of XML based trade confirmations between different vendor implementations were successfully completed.

XML based electronic confirmations as a substitute for fax-based confirmations are the next step on the way to full electronic processes in the energy trading business. The necessary standards to accomplish this are developed in cooperative effort supported by the most important energy companies under the umbrella of the European Federation of Energy Traders (http://www.efet.org).

The successful exchange and match of electronic confirmations was made possible by the comprehensive incessant effort of enerbility, the highly valuable cooperation of Centrica and last but not least the ongoing standard setting process of EFET. By verifying the interoperability of different vendor's implementations, EFET's standardisation efforts aiming at a free and fair marketplace in the area of electronic messaging for energy trading are rewarded.

Gavin Ferguson, head of back office at Centrica Energy, said: "This is really very good news, and thank you to all who have made this "first for the industry" happen. It is very good to know that matching with enerbility’s customers is shown to be perfectly possible."

Hannes Stiebitzhofer, CEO of enerbility adds, "Interoperability is a buzzword usually scaring IT experts having learned that everybody usually has some reasons, why it does not work. Knowing this, I am even more happy to be able to show, that interoperability is an issue which “just has to be done”. Really successful companies in modern markets need their choice of system and still want to be enabled to communicate in a seamless way. The proof of interoperability adds a lot of value to enerbility’s and our competitor’s customers, as from now on they can communicate in an efficient way."

About enerbility (http://www.enerbility.com)
enerbility software gmbh is a pioneer in the area of automating back office processes in the energy trading industry. It develops a platform incorporating Web Services and ebXML for exchanging and processing XML documents for multiple applications. Customers of enerbility include major energy traders like E.ON, ATEL, Statkraft and APT, which use enerbility's implementation of electronic confirmation matching compliant to all applicable standards published by the European Federation of Energy Traders (EFET) in production since 2004.

About Centrica (http://www.centrica.com)
Centria PLC is a leading supplier of energy and essential services, in the UK, Europe and North America. We also operate gas production, gas storage, power generation and renewable energy assets, helping to supply gas and electricity to our customers. Centrica Energy is key to the success of our retail businesses, helping to source the energy required through a mixture of assets, contracts and traded market purchases.