Octopus Energy Tech Summit 2025
Inspiring, energising and, at times, out of this world!
Big Event, Big Ambition 🐙
Stepping into the Octopus Energy Tech Summit, I couldn’t help but be awed by the sheer magnitude of the event — the bustling crowd, the palpable energy, and the thought of so many people dedicating their Monday to advancing the future of energy. The scale of investment was evident, not just in the impressive production, but in the ambition to make the energy revolution as exciting, inspiring, and aspirational as possible.
All this while keeping Octopus’s rock-and-roll disruptor spirit alive — even as they’ve grown to become the UK’s number one utility, scaling to a $9 billion valuation in just nine years!
The summit, which launched London Climate Action Week, brought together over 3,000 passionate attendees — industry leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and lucky ballot-winning customers like me — all united by a shared vision: to accelerate the shift toward a smarter, greener, and more equitable energy future. The agenda was packed with visionary speakers, each of a calibre that would headline any other conference.
It felt like a star-studded smorgasbord of celebrity presentations, making one thing abundantly clear: the energy transition isn’t just about swapping out old tech for new — it’s about reshaping society itself, and, frankly, it’s never been cooler.
The Scale of the Challenge and the Power of Inspiration 💡
Hosted by the very polished former BBC presenter Natasha Kaplinsky, the summit began with a powerful reminder of human ingenuity. Chris Hadfield, the legendary astronaut and former International Space Station commander, was an unexpectedly impressive speaker. His charisma and storytelling were remarkable, and (together with his incredible record achievement) it seemed there was nothing he couldn’t do*.
*I’m even listening to his excellent rendition of Space Oddity on Spotify as I write this!
Listening to Hadfield recount his experiences in space was a treat. Even after describing space rockets as “a controlled bomb”, he deftly addressed an audience member's concerns about space travel’s environmental impact; explaining how it ultimately drives scientific research and progress, vital for our energy transition.
His message was both convincing and inspiring: if we can land on the moon, build a space station, and advance to a point where we take sat nav for granted, then surely we have the vision and capability to transform our energy systems for a sustainable future.
His journey and approach is remarkable. From an early age, he systematically deconstructed what it would take to become an astronaut and then relentlessly focused on each necessary step along the way. It demonstrates a level of dedication and self-discipline that’s truly inspiring, and it’s a mindset we can all aspire to emulate in our pursuits.
The Energy Transition is the 21st Century Economic Driver 📈
Michael Shanks MP, Minister for DESNZ, echoed this urgency. Highlighting how even countries with minimal direct reliance on Russian gas have felt the shockwaves of global energy volatility:
“National security is energy security"
His call to reduce our dependency on gas was not just an environmental plea but a strategic imperative. Framing the shift to renewables as both a moral and financial necessity:
“The energy transition is the economic argument of the 21st century"
The conversation centred around Ukraine and the crucial role that decentralised energy resources are playing in repowering the country - a 'Build Back Better' story. It's a region in which companies like DTEK and Octopus Energy are encouraging investment rather than just support. Like the stories to come about the developing countries in Africa, an immature (less centralised) power grid can be a boon for leapfrogging straight to renewables.
Maxim Timchenko (CEO, DTEK), and Greg Jackson (CEO, Octopus Energy) announced a promising new partnership — using DTEK on the ground, Kraken's platform and everyone's favourite low-cost, decentralised renewable technology, Solar!
A Green Future is an Electric Future ⚡
Next, Emma Pinchbeck FEI, Chief Executive of the Climate Change Committee, brought Sankey charts and the conversation back to the UK, particularly highlighting the enormous and near-term decarbonisation potential in buildings and surface transport. Like at her presentation at Innovation Zero, she advised that their modelling focuses on Heat Pumps becoming the default choice to replace end-of-life boilers, and not proactively replacing new/modern boilers.
The Cosmos, Climate, and the Meaning of Life 💭
Professor Brian Cox took the stage next, weaving together cosmology, philosophy, and climate action. He reminded us of our cosmic insignificance, whilst simultaneously positing Earth might be the only world with complex life and the profound responsibility that comes with this possibility. Echoing the video message he gave to world leaders at COP26 in Glasgow:
“If humans are the only ones who give meaning to life, then their action — or inaction — could ultimately make them responsible for the death of meaning!"
The Promise and Peril of the AI Revolution 🤖
The tech summit didn’t shy away from the thorny issue of artificial intelligence. Stephen Fry and Yuval Noah Harari offered cautionary tales about the unpredictable nature of AI. Harari, with his characteristic insight, warned:
“These are not artefacts; ‘Alien Intelligence’ is more apt.”
He also made the point about AI modelling our behaviour just as kids do with their parents (rather than the 'do as I say' that we'd like to believe). So, Fry, ever the humanist, urged the audience to focus not on productivity where AI excels, but on kindness and empathy:
“Don’t concentrate on how productive you are. Instead, focus on being the best, kindest human being possible.”
Yuval Noah Harari in Conversation with Sir Stephen Fry: History, Humanity, and the Future: Making Sense of Our Turbulent Age. Keynote: Hannah Fry - The Future
Professor Hannah Fry later explored the frontiers of AI, witty and unbelievable at times, discussing the potential for large language models to enable communication with animals. While seemingly tangential to energy tech, her talk underscored the broader implications of technological advancement: as we push the boundaries of what’s possible, we must also consider the ethical and societal ramifications.
AI Underpins the Energy Transition 🔗
Featuring: Tosca Maria Colangeli (General Manager, Solutions at Microsoft), Amir Orad (CEO, Kraken), Josh Parker (Global Head of Sustainability, NVIDIA). Moderated by Mike Butcher ✍️ (Former Editor-at-Large, TechCrunch)
This panel delved into the technologies, including AI, driving the energy transition. Amir Orad, CEO of Kraken, revealed that in the UK alone, Octopus manages and optimises over 500,000 devices to balance supply and demand — a staggering feat of digital orchestration.
Technology, Flexibility, and Consumer Empowerment ▶️
Greg Jackson, Octopus Energy’s founder and CEO, shared insights from his recent tour of BYD, where he saw a “different world of change.” The sheer scale of innovation was humbling: the patent wall he saw represented only 7% of BYD’s total patents.
The most exciting consumer-facing announcement came from Greg himself, along with motorsport legend Damon Hill and motoring journalist Quentin Willson: Octopus’s new vehicle-to-grid (V2G) proposition.
“Consumers can benefit from all this underlying complexity"
Under this new model, Octopus will supply electricity at the cheapest times, draw it back from EVs when prices are high, and use the vehicles to help balance the grid. The financial benefits of this two-way optimisation are passed on to customers, who can enjoy free smart charging and a fixed monthly subscription of £299.
Similarly, the panel - Smarter Homes, Cleaner Planet: How smart home tech can cut your bills and emissions, showcased a number of innovative propositions blending residential energy assets, smart energy optimisation and trading, zero-bill tariffs, and other novel ways of attracting more participation in the energy transition.
It featured Tom Elvidge (Co-founder, Synth Solar), Fiona Howarth (Founder & Director, Octopus Electric Vehicles), Nigel Banks (Technical Director, Octopus Energy). Moderated by Imogen Bhogal, Chief Content Officer for the Fully Charged Show and Everything Electric Show.
Equity, Access, and the African Opportunity 🌍
We were treated to video addresses from Inconvenient Truth legend Al Gore and Idris Elba, doing great work on wind farms for Sierra Leone.
The summit’s global outlook was underscored by powerful contributions from the panel moderated by Zoisa North-Bond. Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) highlighted the stark energy divide:
"While the average person in Sierra Leone lives on just 22 kWh per year, those in the UK use around 3,000 kWh"
“It’s about giving people access to enough energy to live a dignified and productive life”
Souleymane Ba, Partner, LeapFrog Investments, emphasised the demographic opportunity in Africa, where soon one in four people on the planet will be African. The continent’s youth and energy needs represent both a challenge and an opportunity for the global energy transition.
Jono West of mopo (Mobile Power), providing battery packs pre-charged by solar, shared his view on how African nations previously led with mobile banking and could similarly leapfrog with regards to sustainable energy — in developing countries, it is more of an energy addition than a transition.
Areeba Hamid, ED Greenpeace UK, earned the most repeated spontaneous applause of the day, with her articulate and compelling arguments, her impassioned calling out of the powerful vested interests and straight talking with Justin Worland of TIME.
Referring to actions like the law suit where a North Dakota jury has ordered Greenpeace to pay over $660 million in damages to Energy Transfer, the company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline, in connection with protests against the pipeline's construction; and the political backlash against the energy transition:
“The fact the vested interests are really digging in now is a sign that we’re winning"
Future Grid Flexibility, Storage, and Demand Control 🔄
Featuring: Devrim Celal (Chief Flexibility Officer, Kraken), Ben Guest (Managing Director, Energy Transition, Gresham House). Moderated by David Livingston (Chief Strategy Officer, Galvanize).
Devrim Celal offered a nice simple metaphor for the grid:
“Electricity is the perfect just-in-time delivery system. Surplus is bad (see the Iberian blackout), and shortage is bad too.”
He depicted the grid as a seesaw, with the system operator as the kid in the middle, trying to keep both sides in balance.
With the rise of renewables, we can no longer fully control generation (when the sun shines or the wind blows), but we can control demand. This was echoed by a representative from Ausgrid, who shared that in southern Australia, over 50% of homes have solar panels, with system sizes often reaching 10–15 kW. “Huge surpluses around lunchtime,” he said, underscoring the need for flexibility.
Ben Guest of Gresham House Energy Transition predicted a dramatic expansion in battery storage, from 5 GW to 30 GW, with batteries capable of long-duration discharge (8–10 hours). This growth will be critical for managing the intermittency of renewables and ensuring grid stability.
Leadership, Culture, and the Power of Private Enterprise 💡
Featuring: Greg Jackson (Octopus CEO and Founder), Stuart Jackson (Octopus CFO and Founder), Rebecca Dibb-Simkin (CMO), 🚀 Pete Miller (Head of Customer Experience and Employee No.1). Moderated by Matt Barbet (Sky News)
The day concluded with a surprisingly witty interview of the Octopus Energy founding team by Matt Barbet of Sky News. The conversation was a reminder that, at its core, the energy transition is a human story. One that requires not just technical expertise, but also humour, humility, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.
Pete Miller reminded the audience that as their organisation grows, they must hold onto what makes them special. “Continue to fix and disrupt” he urged, highlighting the importance of maintaining a culture of innovation.
Human Behaviours and the Energy Transition 🧠
Rory Sutherland, genius advertising executive and vice chairman of Ogilvy & Mather, argued that private businesses like Octopus - especially those not beholden to quarterly earnings - are best placed to “change the weather". Their ability to take risks and experiment is essential for driving systemic change.
His lecture was a masterclass on Behavioural Science, with so many insights and takeaways that I will have to revisit over the coming days to fully digest. There is a lot to learn about how we communicate and frame ideas - where and how value can be created (including the Two Superpowers, below), and how to change or ultimately transcend paradigms.
Rory Sutherland - Behavioural Science in the Energy Transition
A Catalyst for Change 🚀
As the summit drew to a close, it was clear that this was more than just a conference. It was a catalyst that gathered bold thinkers, pioneering innovators, policymakers, and everyday people. Everyone united in a shared mission to accelerate the move to a greener, cheaper, and more secure energy future. And it was fantastic to meet some very interesting people in the networking breaks too!
The Octopus Energy Tech Summit was a masterclass in how to bring together diverse voices, technologies, and perspectives to tackle the most pressing issue of our time. From the cosmic musings of Brian Cox to the practical innovations of Kraken, and the inspiring calls to action from Damilola Ogunbiyi and Areeba Hamid, the event was a testament to the power of collaboration, creativity, and courage.
As we look ahead, the lessons from the summit are clear; the energy transition is not just a technical challenge, but a societal one. It requires us to think big, act boldly, and never lose sight of the human dimension. With events like this leading the way, the future of energy and our planet looks brighter than ever. Bravo,Octopus Energy! 👏🏽
About the Author
Rishi Mehta
A Cleantech professional, who is passionate about the synergy of renewable energy and technology to maximise the acceleration of decarbonisation, decentralisation and the digitalisation of energy.
His experience includes BD Lead for Residential Energy (including Solar, Battery and HEM) at LCP Delta, delivering market intelligence, data-driven research, consultancy, technology products and training services.
Before joining the solar revolution, he spent 15 years in IT, consulting and managing Transformation programme work-streams for IT Directors/CIOs/COOs.
