Energy storage at scale: C&I batteries and digital control

On this episode of the Hypercube Energy Podcast, Adam Sroka speaks with Stephan Schnez, CTO and Co-founder of RCT Pro, about the role of power electronics, digital control, and battery storage in a grid with falling inertia and rising complexity.

Stephan shares his journey from theoretical physics and graphene research at ETH Zurich into renewable energy and battery storage, including senior roles at ABB and helping to build Huawei’s Zurich research centre, before joining RCT Power and spinning out RCT Pro to focus on commercial and industrial storage. The conversation explores why digital technologies are no longer optional but fundamental enablers of the energy transition, and how control systems, software, and hardware must evolve together.

Adam and Stephan cover:

• Stephan’s path from physics research to energy storage and power electronics
• Why declining grid inertia makes digital control essential
• RCT Power’s origins and the impact of hybrid inverters in residential storage
• Why C&I battery storage is a fundamentally different market
• The decision to spin out RCT Pro to move faster and closer to customers
• Competing with global manufacturers through localisation, usability, and trust
• What building a truly digital-first hardware company looks like in practice