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Inside Octopus Energy

Latest episodes

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Jun 20, 2025 • 26min

Ep22: Load flexibility is the US grid’s next power move

What if the most effective lever in the US energy transition is not more generation, but shifting when and how energy is consumed? As EVs, AI, and electrification accelerate demand, utilities are rethinking load flexibility as a core strategy for grid stability and affordability. In this episode, host Russell Goldsmith is joined by Nick Chaset, CEO of Octopus Energy US and Executive Vice President of North America for Octopus Energy Group, and Lori Mitchell, Director of San Jose Clean Energy. Together, they discuss how smart tariffs, flexible devices, and customer trust can help optimize demand across hours. From Texas to California, they explore the real-world potential of Flexibility as a Service and why load flexibility is becoming central to how the US grid evolves.
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May 30, 2025 • 26min

Ep21: Powering green careers

Octopus Energy is rapidly expanding its engineering services to deploy low-carbon technologies to help the UK transition to a net zero energy system. This expansion creates significant career opportunities in the green skills sector. In this episode, host Russell Goldsmith talks with John Szymik, CEO of Octopus Energy Services, and Jack Longman, an EV ChargePoint installer, about engineering careers within the company, highlighting the opportunities for both experienced professionals and those new to the field.
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May 16, 2025 • 43min

Ep20: The UK energy market is broken OR why we need zonal pricing

In this episode, Russell Goldsmith hosts Greg Jackson, founder of Octopus Energy, and Jason Mann, Senior Managing Director at FTI Consulting, to discuss the effects of a zonal pricing system in the UK energy market. They explore how the current electricity market operates, why changes are needed to address high energy bills and system inefficiencies, and how zonal pricing could offer a more effective and cheaper solution. The discussion covers the benefits and potential challenges of transitioning to a zonal pricing system and the potential impact on both businesses and consumers.
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15 snips
Dec 19, 2024 • 31min

Ep 19: Ink-redible AI: Kraken’s push for a fairer, greener grid

It’s hard to keep up with the pace at which AI is changing our lives – and energy is one of the many areas it is rapidly transforming. In this episode, Russell Goldsmith is joined by Steve Wattam, Head of Data Science in Kraken’s Flex business, and Ali Teeney, Kraken’s Global Head of Machine Learning and AI. They discuss how Kraken, the Octopus Energy Group’s tech arm, uses AI and machine learning to further improve customer service and create engaging roles for its team – while helping to build smarter, cleaner energy systems globally.
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Sep 20, 2024 • 20min

Ep 18: Spreading its tentacles: Octopus’ growth in Spain

Since launching the Octopus Energy brand in Spain, the clean energy retailer has grown from a team of ten employees, to over 500. In addition to energy, the company now installs EV chargers, heat pumps and solar panels in customers’ homes. In this episode of Inside Octopus, host Russell Goldsmith reconnects with Roberto Giner, CEO of Octopus Energy Spain. Roberto shares the journey of Octopus Energy's remarkable expansion in Spain, the smooth integration of his former business, Umeme, and the adoption of the Octopus culture in Spain. Roberto also discusses the successful migration onto the Kraken platform and the exciting future of Spain's energy market, including the country’s leading role in solar energy generation.
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Aug 13, 2024 • 36min

Ep 17: Fuelling Change - How heat pumps can help us get off our addiction to gas

Heat pumps are like magic, turning one unit of energy into three to four units of heat. In this episode, our podcast host Russell Goldsmith chats with Effie Evans, director of Octopus Energy’s heat pump business, about the important role these clean tech devices are playing in decarbonising our homes Effie and Russell discuss Octopus Energy’s efforts in rolling out heat pumps across the UK – with thousands of new installers hired this year, the opening of a heat pump factory in Portadown, Northern Ireland, and the launch of the ‘Cosy 6’ heat pump. They also address how Octopus is dispelling myths and misinformation about this crucial technology.
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22 snips
Apr 16, 2024 • 35min

Ep 16: How Kraken is powering a transformation at Octopus and beyond

How Kraken – the world’s first next-gen energy operating system – is powering a transformation at Octopus and beyondAt the heart of everything the Octopus group does is Kraken – a world-leading operating system for utilities. In this episode, Octopus CEO Greg Jackson and Kraken Chairman Gavin Patterson shine a light on the unique potential that Kraken unlocks, from green tech innovation and optimization to lightning fast migrations.
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Mar 6, 2023 • 31min

Ep 15: Zero Bills homes: Getting rid of energy bills for good

Introducing Zero Bills: the first-of-its-kind smart tariff providing eligible households zero bills for five years, guaranteed. In this episode, we talk to Michael Cottrell, Product & Partnerships Director at Octopus Energy, and Holly Gavin, Product Manager at Kraken Technologies, about how we're partnering with housing developers to build the homes of the future.
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Feb 24, 2023 • 38min

Ep 14: Electric dreams: The growth story of Octopus Electric Vehicles

The EV market has taken off in recent years, and we're right at the forefront of the transition. In this episode, we talk to Fiona Howarth, CEO of Octopus Electric Vehicles, and Claire Miller, Director of Tech and Innovation, about the growth story of Octopus' EV specialist business.
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Nov 16, 2022 • 27min

Ep 13: How our US team is achieving rapid growth while helping customers through the energy crisis

Today we're back across the pond to talk to the US team about the exciting growth they've seen over the last 18 months since launching in Texas. We chat again with Michael Lee, the CEO of Octopus Energy US, Lily Stein who is an Octopus veteran and moving to Texas from Australia to lead operations and Naja Cossey, the Director of Marketing for US. We dive into some of the new programs and campaigns they've been running stateside to help customers through times of rising energy prices and grid uncertainty. We discuss the impact a brand that looks after its customers with such outrageously good service can have on the way customers use energy and how in turn, that can shift the way the market works.

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