Our Purpose
We’re accelerating a new energy future in collaboration with academia and industry, guided by our six research pillars.
Flexibility
How smart tech and consumer behaviours can change supply and demand.
Automation
How to optimise device control at scale.
Engagement
How to positively impact perceptions and adoption of new energy solutions.
Markets
How to better value, settle, balance, and regulate energy.
Connectivity
How to reliably connect properties and new devices.
Accessibility
How to ensure the future of greener and fairer energy is inclusive of all.
Projects
Our work develops the learnings and technical capabilities needed to accelerate a new energy future and drive the energy transition across the UK and the EU.
Intelligent Heat Pump Control
We’re advancing intelligent heat pump control to optimise comfort, costs, and carbon savings. Our projects MESH, funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), and Dedalus, funded by the European Union, supported by internally-funded behaviour research, are shaping the future of smart home heating.
Demand-Side Response
Funded by DESNZ, the Interoperable Residential Energy Flexibility project was part of the Interoperable Demand Side Response Programme and aimed to improve how existing demand-side response solutions work with each other, based on standards put forward by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Bidirectional EV Charging
Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technology is set to be the largest consumer flexibility technology in the UK by 2050 – with V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) predicted to reduce grid demand by 32 GW during peak times by this date. Our research is exploring how to optimise and automate this technology and bring the best offering to market, faster.
Renewable Energy Communities
We’re driving a new energy future through renewable energy community pilot programmes across the EU, with LocalRES – an EU-funded project driving the shift toward local, renewable and shared energy systems. UK pilots are planned for 2025.
Meet the Team
Ben Krikler
Ben Krikler is the founding Head of Energised Futures, and Director of Research and Innovation at Centrica.
A physicist and technologist turned social entrepreneur, Ben joined Centrica in 2022 to accelerate research and innovation, leading to the creation of Energised Futures. Ben completed his PhD at Imperial College London, and later conducted postdoctoral research at CERN with the University of Bristol. Ben is also a fellow of the UK’s Software Sustainability Institute.
The Advisory Board
The expertise of Energised Futures is drawn from across Centrica brands. These include British Gas, the UK’s biggest energy provider, and Hive, the experts in smart home technology. It also has a community of external academic and industry partners and fosters a collaborative culture to unlock solutions to the challenges facing the retail energy sector. The direction is shaped by the Advisory Board, which steers core research objectives and reviews its outputs .
Pat Symonds
British Motor racing engineer. Having previously worked for Benetton, Renault, and Williams, his most recent role is as Chief Technical Officer for Formula One. Pat will shortly join the Andretti Cadillac F1 programme as Executive Engineering Consultant.
Professor Peter Childs
Professorial Lead in Engineering Design and was the founding Head of the Dyson School of Design Engineering at Imperial College London.
Allegra Stratton
Founder and director of Zeroism and a Non-Exec Director at SaxaVord spaceport. She has held senior communications roles, including the Prime Minister’s spokesperson for COP26, and was a well-known broadcaster for the BBC & ITV.
Dan Rosenfield
Previously the Chief of Staff at Downing Street, and head of strategy at Centrica. Currently Managing Director of New Business & Net Zero within Centrica.
Catherine O'Kelly
Managing Director of British Gas, having previously held the same role at Bord Gais Energy in Ireland.
Alan McLaughlin
Corporate Affairs Director of Centrica, bringing over two decades of energy experience.
Cengiz Ucbenli, Ph.D
Chief Data Analytics Officer at Centrica, joining from Vodafone where he was Head of Big Data and AI.
Darren Miles
Previously VP Global Infrastructure and Operations (Centrica), currently Chief Information Officer at Centrica.
Robert Booker
Centrica’s Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer. With leadership experience in both global firms and start-ups, he brings expertise in HR and finance, and a passion for building businesses that have purpose.
Join the community
Innovation thrives on collaboration—at Energised Futures we’re building a network of researchers, thinkers, and problem-solvers to accelerate a new energy future together.
If you have an idea or want to learn more, let’s talk: [email protected]