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Philip Steele
Philip Steele

Philip Steele

Future Technologies Evangelist

Philip Steele is Octopus Energy's Future Technologies Evangelist, which is a fancy way to say that he's focused on forecasting and building the energy landscape five-plus years into the future. Backed by an engineering degree from Bradford University and an MBA from Cranfield University, he leads an international R&D team dedicated to researching, testing, and launching new energy tech solutions, including Powerloop, Fan Club, Electric Match, Solar Sharing and Tenant Power.

When he’s not running grant-funded projects to figure out how we can share energy locally, sync home heating with the cheapest green power, or future-proof the grid, Phil is usually chatting directly with customers. You can regularly spot him on YouTube geeking out over smart tariffs or breaking down the latest EV charging updates in plain English.

Before Octopus, Phil launched and ran his own Intelligent smart home platform, nCube, a pioneer in IOT platform development with award-winning tech acting as a bridge to connect IOT devices, using Z-Wave, WiFi, Zigbee, Bluetooth and LAN.

Known for his hands-on approach to testing industry trends, Phil recently conducted an, erm, explosive physical demonstration proving that hydrogen heating is too leaky, explosive, and inefficient for domestic use. He also fact-checks energy claims, most recently debunking misleading heat pump advice published by an energy CEO. Mic drop.

39 posts by Philip Steele

An illustration of a person with pink hair sitting on a couch using a laptop, surrounded by floating question marks inside a thought bubble.

Which smart tariff should I choose? A simple guide

Not sure which Octopus smart tariff fits your EV, solar, battery or heat pump? A plain-English guide to picking the right one.

A pink octopus charging a home battery

Under the hood: how Charge Pack manages your battery

We explain everything you need to know about Charge Pack, our new smart battery add-on.

An illustration of a pink octopus in an EV, with fish to the side

Meet Streams: why the best time to plug in your EV is 'all the time'

Think you need a complex schedule to get the cheapest EV charging? Think again. Plugging in every single day is the smartest move you can make.

Everything you need to know about plug-in solar panels

Plug-in solar is now legal in the UK. What does that mean for you?

Illustration of pink octopus charging an ev

Intelligent Octopus Go: Smart charging and Charge Cap explained

Find out more about how smart charging works with Intelligent Octopus Go, and how our new Charge Cap feature keeps you in control.

Tumble dryer hacks: how to cut your bills

Tumble dryers are energy hogs, adding up to £190 a year to to your bills. Can't quit the habit? From hidden "eco" buttons to the weirdly satisfying fluff filter ritual, here are five hacks to cut costs without sacrificing fluffy towels.

Hydrogen for heating: the facts

Hydrogen as a heating fuel faces significant technical and safety challenges compared to natural gas (methane). Here's what the evidence shows:

Supergroup Smart Home Tariff Workshop

Phil Steele Workshop: Smart Home Tariffs

Octopus Labs: Sync up your smart home tech

Want to sync your solar, battery or EV with the cheapest times on your smart tariff? With Octopus Labs, it's easy — and a great little rainy day job to sink your teeth into. Phil Steele, our "Tech Evangelist," is here to tell you more.

Intelligent Octopus Go & Drive Pack with Ohme: your questions answered

Intelligent Octopus Go is our smartest EV tariff, with six hours of smart charging every night at a super low rate.You'll get cheap electricity between 11.30pm and 5.30am, as well as super cheap electricity for any Smart Charging.Our latest integration with Ohme enables Octopus to provide Smart Charging directly through your Ohme charger; a greener solution that keeps money in your pocket.

Innovation in smart tech's security

Phil Steele, an Octopus Energy boffin and all-round tech-spert, who's spent years working on some of the most exciting electrical home tech available.You may have heard of the Octopus Home Mini or Octopus Fan Club…well that was Phil and his brill team of tech wizards. He also occasionally graces our TV screens to discuss the next exciting smart energy gadget, be sure to keep your eyes peeled (LINK).

Energy saving tips: save over £500 on your energy bills

A list of the quickest, easiest things you can do to use less energy at home – you could slash £500+ from your bills.

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