EDF is to move its five million customers onto Octopus Energy’s Kraken platform from the summer of 2023.
The energy supplier will use Kraken to manage its customer accounts in the UK and further develop its home heat and electric vehicle (EV) offering. The platform will enable new ways of working across customer operations and allow EDF to adapt to future energy requirements as part of the energy transition.
It’s expected the migration of EDF’s customers will take 18 months, with EDF now the third licensee to work with Kraken Technologies in the UK.
Good Energy and E.ON have both seen successful customer migrations, with Kraken now licensed to serve over 20 million clients across the globe. Indeed, Hanwha Corporation and Origin Energy are both also signed up to Kraken, with the latter acquiring a 20% stake in Octopus Energy last year.
The Kraken platform is aiming to drive the smart grid and improve the efficiency of energy suppliers’ customer service operations. It connects all parts of the energy supply chain, from renewable energy generation to customer service and billing, and therefore unlocks efficiencies in customer service that the company said are so far unseen in energy retail.
Greg Jackson, CEO and founder of Octopus Energy Group, said the company created Kraken to make it easier and cheaper for energy companies to offer green energy and better customer service.
“EDF’s customers have always been a priority to them, and now the brilliant customer experience they enjoyed can be built upon with efficient and innovative energy technology, and an expanded offering that really drives the renewable energy revolution,” he said.
The announcement comes several months after Octopus received a $600 million investment from Al Gore’s Generation Investment Management, with this to be used to expand Octopus’ mission and the Kraken platform globally.
Currently, Octopus Energy has expanded into the Spanish market through the acquisition of green energy startup Umeme, as well as Germany, the US and Australia.