Project Mercury: Building a Universal Language for Smart Energy

Project Mercury is an initiative launched by Octopus Energy Group at last year’s WIRED Energy Tech Summit in Berlin. 

Project Mercury aims to create a common language for smart energy devices to work together seamlessly. Think Bluetooth, but for energy. Just as Bluetooth transformed how our personal devices communicate, for example by enabling headphones to seamlessly work with your phone regardless of brand, Project Mercury aims to do the same for smart energy devices. The goal is to create a universal standard that allows you or your retailer to effortlessly control your heat pump, EV charger, battery, and unlock the power of flex, no matter who manufactured them.

Just like Bluetooth, Project Mercury isn't trying to dictate exactly how manufacturers should build their devices, but rather establishing a common language they can all use to communicate effectively with each other.

What problem is Project Mercury trying to solve?

Right now, we have lots of different clean energy devices in our homes - things like heat pumps, electric car chargers, and batteries. But they all speak different "languages" which makes it hard for them to work together efficiently.

Ok, so what does it actually do? 

Project Mercury creates a certification process called “Mercury Enabled” that ensures all these devices can work together properly. It sets basic standards for how these devices should function, such as making sure all batteries report their power usage in the same way. This standardisation makes it easier to integrate new devices into existing systems without complicated technical work.

And the benefit? 

The benefits of this system are multilayered. When consumers buy a Mercury Enabled device, they'll know it will work properly with their other smart energy devices. Manufacturers get clear guidelines on how to make their products compatible with other devices. For the energy grid as a whole, this standardisation helps balance electricity supply and demand more efficiently by allowing all these devices to work in harmony.

The scale of this initiative is significant. Octopus Energy UK already manages the world's largest virtual power plant, connecting 220,000 devices. We predict there will be 200 million clean tech devices in use by 2030. The standard is open for global manufacturers and utilities to join, making it a potentially transformative force in the energy sector.

It's like ensuring all cars can turn left and right, rather than specifying exactly how the steering wheel should be built. They're also trying to make it easier for smaller companies to compete, since standardization means it won't take as much time and resources to integrate new devices into existing systems.