Abu Dhabi’s TAQA to trial Kraken platform

Octopus Energy’s technology platform will be trialled by TAQA, one of the largest integrated utilities in the EMEA region, with their power and water customers in the United Arab Emirates.

Kraken Technologies is teaming up with Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PSJC (TAQA) to launch a pilot project and trial the platform after an assessment of Kraken’s ability to enable a smarter, cleaner energy system, said the new partners in a joint release.

The companies are also exploring a joint venture (JV) to extend the partnership and Kraken’s footprint to the Middle East, Europe and worldwide.

As part of the proposed JV, the companies will look to establish a local innovation and development hub in Abu Dhabi, which will serve as a centre of excellence and innovation in the region. It will also build capabilities in the UAE upon implementation of the programme locally.

The Kraken platform connects various aspects of the energy system, from customer billing to flexible management of renewable generation and energy devices, aiming to empower energy companies to build and deploy green energy products and handle customer requests more swiftly and holistically.

Jasim Husain Thabet, TAQA’s Group chief executive officer and managing director, said: “We are pleased to partner with Octopus Energy on this pilot of its Kraken technology across our UAE operations.

“Through this pilot, we see a lot of opportunities to drive further digitalisation and operational excellence in our UAE operations and to collaborate with Octopus on a possible pathway for future expansion.”

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TAQA recently announced its new growth targets for 2030.

Amongst its refreshed targets, the company articulated plans to expand its Transmission and Distribution business internationally.

The JV under discussion will also explore potential for joint investments in projects that could benefit from deployment of the Kraken technology.

“Importantly, when successful, it will lead to establishing a regional innovation hub for this technology right here in Abu Dhabi, helping to build capabilities within the country and continue to drive excellence in the utilities industry,” added Thabet.

“This advanced platform is an example of how we are investing in technologies that support the energy transition and enhance our operations.”

Kraken has already been used by Octopus Energy to manage millions of customers across the UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and a large portion of mainland Europe and is licensed to energy, water and broadband utilities across the globe.

It manages over 6GW of energy assets and is contracted to serve 52 million customer accounts globally, taking it closer to its 2027 target of 100 million accounts.