Lightsource BP appoints Benjamin Kott as CEO of Lightsource Labs

Lightsource BP, a global market leader in the development, acquisition and long-term management of solar projects and smart energy solutions is pleased to announce the appointment of Benjamin Kott as CEO of its in-house digital innovations arm, Lightsource Labs.

Lightsource Labs was established in 2016 and over the past three years, has developed and deployed advanced software and hardware solutions incorporating cutting-edge Internet of Energy technology and Artificial Intelligence across a number of UK projects.

The acquisition of  Internet of Things – specialist ubiworx TM in 2018 further strengthened Labs’ platform capabilities with a view to significantly increase device connectivity options as well as industrial scalability.

Most recently, Lightsource Labs has launched ‘Tribe’, a connected and intelligent energy management system comprising of a flexible smart hub and a powerful mobile app. ‘Tribe’ enables customers to reduce their carbon footprint by increasing energy autonomy and solar self-consumption. Customers can also take advantage of low-cost electricity pricing and manage smart devices in their premises.

As the first CEO of Lightsource Labs, Benjamin’s appointment comes as part of Lightsource BP’s wider ambition to become a global leader in digitised energy services. He will be instrumental in growing the in-house team and further expanding the company’s know-how, technical capabilities and industry leadership.

Benjamin will also take on the commercialisation and international deployment of ‘Tribe’ and other Lightsource Labs products. This includes establishing new strategic partnerships as well as the development of bespoke, white-label smart energy management solutions for industry partners at a global level.

Benjamin joins from Fabriq, an online platform that he founded in 2011 to help organisations optimise energy and resource consumption in commercial buildings. Prior to Fabriq, Benjamin was responsible for environmental performance optimisation at Google Europe, where he led Google’s first investment in renewable energy generation outside of the U.S. as well as the UK roll-out of Google’s home energy app PowerMeter. Benjamin also spearheaded the company’s support of the UN’s COP15 climate summit and was Google’s spokesperson for all energy-related topics in Europe. Benjamin holds a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Technical University of Munich.

Kareen Boutonnat, Chief Operating Officer for Lightsource BP, said: “Benjamin brings to the team invaluable experience of running a successful start-up business and knowledge steeped in technology, clean energy and advanced energy management systems. I am delighted to welcome Benjamin on board and excited by the opportunities for future growth with him at the helm.”

“As the need to transition towards a low-carbon future increases, we believe that digitalisation and smart technology will be a key enabler. Benjamin’s appointment affirms Lightsource BP’s recognition and commitment towards continuous innovation, as we aim to play an even larger role in decarbonisation within the transformation of the global energy sector.”

Benjamin Kott said: “I am honoured to have been given this opportunity and tremendously excited by the possibilities ahead for Lightsource Labs through smart energy management and future innovation. Working with the wider group at Lightsource BP, we intend to scale the benefits of energy optimisation for our customers and create new business opportunities for our partners globally.”

“There is huge potential to further develop and deploy our solutions to make our mark on the energy transition.  We will accelerate the growth of Lightsource Labs to meet this growing demand through sustainable energy innovation.”