The new centre aims to "discover the smartest routes to net zero", focusing initially on transport and heating emissions, the firm said
Cleantech pioneer Octopus Energy is opening a new research centre aiming to accelerate the development of new tools for delivering a tech-enabled green energy system, the British firm announced today.
The Octopus Centre for Net Zero (OCNZ) will combine energy tech data, economic analysis and behavioural insights to create models and policy recommendations for potential paths to a green future, the firm said.
The centre's initial research will focus on residential heating and transport, it said, in a bid to tackle emissions from two of the UK's most carbon-intensive sectors, which are together responsible for around half the country's carbon emissions. It will be headed by tech innovation and policy expert by Lucy Yu, who currently researches public policy for clean tech and decarbonisation at the Tony Blair Institute.
"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," Yu said. "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."
Energy Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan welcomed the plans for the new facility. "As we build back greener, private sector and business investment is going to be vital in helping us hit our targets and I look forward to seeing how the tools developed by the Octopus Centre for Net Zero support our efforts to tackle climate change," she said.
The centre is funded by Octopus Energy but its research will be independent from the firm's oversight, according to Octopus. Launched in 2016, Octopus now serves 1.9 million customers with green power through outlets like Octopus Energy, M&S Energy, Affect Energy, London Power, and Co-op Energy. In December 2020, it was valued at over $2bn after closing its second investment round of the year led by international energy companies Tokyo Gas and Origin Energy.