Final episode before a short summer break!

On this episode of the Hypercube Podcast, Adam Sroka speaks with Rob Taylor, Group CIO at GivEnergy, the UK’s leading manufacturer of domestic battery storage systems. Rob shares his journey from receiving a shockingly high energy bill to leading the company’s software division, where he now drives cloud-based platforms, open APIs, and smart integrations that connect batteries, EV chargers, and home energy systems.

The conversation explores the core challenge of interoperability in a fragmented energy landscape. Rob explains how GivEnergy has championed openness from the beginning and why emerging standards like the Mercury initiative are critical to enabling a connected, scalable energy ecosystem. He also unpacks the strategic importance of early involvement in EV charger protocols, beyond GivEnergy’s core battery products.

Adam and Rob dive into the bigger picture: how domestic and grid-scale storage must work together to meet the UK’s Clean Power 2030 goals, and why cost barriers, installation complexity, and lack of targeted financial incentives are slowing broader adoption. Rob also raises concerns about security in both hardware and software supply chains, calling for greater scrutiny of development practices and long-term infrastructure risks.

Finally, they discuss the cautious but promising role of AI in home energy management, the importance of responsible data use, and how the sector can balance innovation with consumer trust. From standards and software to security and equity, this episode offers a wide-ranging look at the forces shaping the future of home energy.

Adam and Rob cover:

• How a sky-high energy bill led Rob from science into smart energy innovation
• Why GivEnergy bet early on open APIs and what it means for interoperability today
• The challenge of fragmented standards and how the Mercury initiative aims to fix it
• Security risks in global software supply chains and the hidden vulnerabilities in home energy devices
• Why home batteries alone aren’t enough: building toward whole-home optimisation
• The equity gap in energy adoption and the case for targeted financial incentives

Useful Links

Visit GivEnergy: https://givenergy.co.uk/

Connect with Rob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-taylor-uk/

Join Hypercube's Beyond Energy Community: https://wearehypercube.com/join-the-community/

Chapter markers

[00:00] Batteries, fairness, and the risk of a two-tier energy system

[01:00] Meet Rob Taylor – GivEnergy’s CIO on scaling domestic storage

[05:19] Why interoperability is broken – and how Mercury might fix it

[10:13] Why Clean Power 2030 needs both grid-scale and home batteries

[17:51] Supply chain threats, software trust, and grid vulnerability

[24:43] AI hype vs real value – GivEnergy’s take on smart optimisation

Adam speaks with Mark Lufkin, Chief Product Officer at Wondrwall, the Manchester-based company using AI to reinvent how homes manage and generate energy.

Mark walks us through Wondrwall’s evolution, from its origins in motion-sensing wallpaper to a full-stack smart home system powered by AI, solar, and predictive analytics. Think of it as a self-driving car, but for your house: the platform controls heating, lighting, storage, and energy flows in real time, drawing on over 20,000 data points per home, per day.

The conversation dives into the psychology behind smart tech adoption – why most people don’t have time to be energy experts, and how Wondrwall designs for trust, not just efficiency. Mark also unpacks Wondrwall’s PowerPlan model which removes upfront costs by giving away solar panels, batteries, and EV chargers, instead selling clean power back to homeowners at lower rates.

The episode explores how smart systems can feel more like companions than control panels, offering just the right balance of automation, insight, and emotional connection. If the future of housing is intelligent, Wondrwall wants to make sure it is also human.

Adam and Mark discuss:

• Most people aren’t prosumers; Wondrwall’s AI runs the home so they don’t have to
• Human-first design: tech that acts smart, but asks before it acts
• Future Homes Standard doesn’t go far enough and risks driving up bills
• Power Plan flips the model: zero upfront cost, cheaper energy, smarter homes
• Making net-zero realistic by designing for how people actually live

Useful Links

Visit Wondrwall: https://wondrwall.com/

Connect with Mark Lufkin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklufkin/

Join Hypercube's Beyond Energy Community: https://wearehypercube.com/join-the-community/

Adam sits down with Dr. Edward Rackley, Head of Energy Storage at CRU, to explore the metrics, materials, and market forces shaping the future of grid-scale batteries.

Edward shares his path from chemical engineering and fuel cell research to leading CRU’s techno-economic analysis on global storage markets. He explains why battery innovation is entering a new era; one where performance, supply chain resilience, and lifecycle cost matter more than just dollars per kilowatt hour.

The conversation spans stacked containers, sodium-ion deployments, and the geopolitical tug-of-war over gigafactory dominance. Edward breaks down the industry’s shift from cost-reduction to performance optimisation, why Europe’s localisation push faces stiff competition, and how CRU models the tipping points that trigger real technology transitions.

From the chemistry of LFP and NMC to the practical limits of shipping 12MWh containers, this episode unpacks the realities behind energy storage scale-up – and what needs to happen next to move beyond lithium.

Adam and Edward cover:

• Techno-economic analysis and the shift from cost to performance optimisation
• Why LFP replaced NMC – and whether sodium, zinc, or flow batteries are next
• How CRU models battery lifetimes, cycling patterns, and levelised cost of storage
• Supply chain pressure points, from mineral refining to skilled labour shortages
• How global markets like Saudi Arabia and Morocco are reshaping storage dynamics

Useful Links

🔗 CRU Group: https://www.crugroup.com/

🔗 Connect with Edward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-rackley/

🔗 Join Hypercube’s Beyond Energy Community for case studies, articles, podcasts, and events: https://wearehypercube.com/join-the-community/