Boston-based EnerNOC entered into a demand response deal with Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), a Japanese utility still reeling from the effects of the Fukushima Taiishi accident and looking for ways to meet electric needs without the nuclear power plant – which makes demand response a natural. That arrangement is the first growing out of EnerNOC’s new joint venture with Marubeni Corp., one of the largest independent power producers in Japan.

“There is growing national attention in Japan on intelligent buildings and smart grids, and an increased focus by utilities and policymakers on the importance of demand-side management,” said David Brewster, president of EnerNOC.