Octopus Energy has launched a research facility which will create models and policy recommendations to accelerate the uptake of green technologies.
The company claims the London-based Octopus Centre for Net Zero (OCNZ) is a world-first which will combine energy tech data, economic analysis and behavioural insights.
OCNZ, which will be remain independent of but funded by Octopus, will make its technology publicly available as part of its aim to boost knowledge sharing between countries and industry leaders in order to grow a “global community of collaborators”.
The centre will consist of an interdisciplinary team of experts on subjects such as data science, econometrics, behavioural science and climate policy to develop solutions for the sector’s most pressing issues.
Its initial research will focus on two of the UK’s most carbon heavy sectors, residential heating and transport, which last year accounted for more than half of overall carbon emissions.
OCNZ will be headed up by Lucy Yu who has 15 years of experience in building tech teams and advising governments and international organisations on policy issues. Yu is an associate fellow at the Tony Blair Institute where she researches public policy for cleantech and decarbonisation.
Yu said: “The climate emergency is the biggest challenge of our lifetime, but good policies and investments can help decarbonise our planet without compromising quality of life. But no country can solve this crisis on their own.
“By sharing best practices, tools and models, we have a chance to speed up the much-needed change and get us on the fast-track to net zero. I can’t wait to get started and bring together a team of experts that will drive the knowledge transfer between the energy industry and policy makers.”
Greg Jackson, chief executive and founder of Octopus Energy, said: “Octopus is leading the tech-enabled green energy transition globally, and we have set up this centre of excellence to share what we’ve learned on our journey so far. We hope to be a trailblazer in this area and inspire other energy companies to follow suit.”
Octopus has been continually growing since it entered the market in 2016.
Last year the company, which is valued at $2 billion, acquired Manchester-based firm Upside Energy which it will use to establish an energy innovation centre.