UK utility Octopus Energy has launched Project Mercury, an alliance to set global standards for the integration of clean tech with smart energy systems.

Announced at last week’s Wired x Octopus Energy Tech Summit (energy-tech-summit.wired.com) in Berlin, the project aims to establish a global consortium of hardware manufacturers to simplify the integration of the 200 million clean tech devices that are predicted to be in use by 2030.

Known as Mercury Enabled, the technical guidelines will certify device interoperability and functionality to support energy grids by balancing supply and demand.

The standard aims to simplify the switch to clean tech devices such as heat pumps, batteries, solar panels and EV chargers for millions of users and give them confidence their clean tech will work with other established brands.

Project Mercury will also foster collaboration across the industry to drive broad adoption, promoting consumer participation in global demand flexibility schemes, such as Octopus Energy’s Saving Sessions, and the uptake of smart energy tariffs.

“Just as Bluetooth set a global standard for tech devices, we need a similar approach for energy, allowing millions of smart energy technologies to seamlessly integrate with each other,” said Greg Jackson, founder of Octopus Energy Group. “We invite the entire smart energy industry to join Project Mercury to create common standards for the smart thermostats, heat pumps, EV chargers and batteries in our homes. This will bring us closer to a fully connected, sustainable and affordable energy ecosystem.”

In just two years Octopus has built the world’s largest virtual power plant, managing over 1GW of flexible demand in the UK via 200,000 connected energy devices. The company is now the largest power supplier in the UK, with operations in 18 countries.

Octopus Energy (octopus.energy) is a clean energy tech business, driving affordable green energy systems. Under its own retail brand, Octopus delivers customer service and energy products to eight million households globally. Its operations span 18 countries and the entire energy value chain. The group invests in, builds and flexibly manages renewable energy, operating a £7bn portfolio of projects.

Octopus has licensed its data and machine-learning platform, Kraken (kraken.tech), to support more than 54 million customer accounts worldwide through licensing deals with companies such as EDF, E.On and Origin Energy. Kraken enables Octopus to drive the electrification of heat and transport through smart tariffs and innovative clean tech.