Kraken has launched what it is calling the ‘UK’s first energy tech superhub’ in Manchester.
The ‘Kraken Tech Centre’ will house engineering teams and work as a testing hub for integrating third-party devices with Kraken, part of Octopus Energy Group and the world’s fastest-growing energy platform.
Kraken connects the entire energy value chain and is the technology behind many global energy giants including Octopus Energy, Tokyo Gas, Origin Energy and E.ON.
It says the superhub will empower partners to boost their products’ usability and expand their reach to more customers, homes and businesses by integrating with Kraken.
It hopes to bring together some of the world’s biggest names in e-mobility, EV charging, heat pump and home batteries.
Kraken has already secured over a dozen partners for the launch, including automotive leaders BYD and Ford, battery pioneers Tesla, Enphase Energy, SolarEdge, GivEnergy, EV charge point players Indra Renewable Technologies, Hypervolt, Ohme and Myenergi, as well as heat pump providers Mitsubishi Electric and Daikin.
By integrating with Kraken, clean tech devices such as EVs and heat pumps can draw power from the grid when it is cheapest and greenest and export back when prices are higher – creating a smarter, more efficient system that slashes bills for consumers.
The new Kraken connectivity centre is located in the historic Pariser Building in central Manchester, and takes design inspiration from the famous Hacienda nightclub. It will serve as an additional home to over 200 Kraken employees based in the city.
Devrim Celal, CEO of Kraken Technologies, said: “Our new EnTech hub is a game-changer for the UK’s renewable ambitions, and will speed up the country’s transformation into a clean energy superpower.
“Manchester is on track to becoming the ‘Silicon Valley for Energy Tech’. With this facility, we’re not just laying the groundwork for a greener, smarter energy system – we’re creating a more sustainable and affordable future for all.”
Octopus Energy Group first arrived in Manchester in 2020 with the acquisition of Upside Energy, now the flexibility arm of Kraken.
The company’s main office in the city employs nearly 600 people across technology, flexibility and customer operations roles.