Meet Sebastien Behaghel - our new Energy Analyst in London

I’m delighted to welcome Sebastien Behaghel to Gridcog’s London team!

As Gridcog continues to grow, we’re excited to have Sebastien join and bring his knowledge and expertise to our customers in the UK and Europe. With an MSc in Energy Systems from the University of Oxford, and experience working in the African renewable energy sector as an advisory analyst, Sebastien brings an innate drive and passion for the energy transition. He is already getting stuck into the Gridcog software, working alongside Laura and Ashok to support customers.

Read on to learn more about Sebastien!

‍‍‍What were you doing before Gridcog, and what got you into the energy space?

Before joining Gridcog, I worked in the African renewable energy sector as an advisory analyst at CrossBoundary, where I helped clean tech companies navigate opportunities and challenges in countries such as Senegal, Kenya, Nigeria, and Malawi. Having spent many hours studying the energy access segment of this field, I subsequently co-founded an association called Greenwheel to increase access to electricity in rural areas of Western Africa. This included a four-month expedition on motorbikes to install 89 solar kits in villages without electricity—an incredibly impactful experience. Today, while I continue to manage some aspects of the association, new members are leading similar expeditions!

My first date with the energy sector occurred during my undergraduate engineering studies. At that time, I was part of a team called the Swiss Solar Boat team, where we built a foiling solar boat to compete in an annual energy boat race. Designing custom solar panels, integrating them with batteries and motors, and striving to match the power outputs of conventional motors was both a challenging and enlightening experience—it had me hooked.

What is your role at Gridcog?

As an energy analyst at Gridcog, my role is to help users make the most of their energy assets. I’ll assist them in navigating both the Gridcog software and the broader energy market when needed. I’ll also collaborate closely with our product and data science teams to ensure our software continually meets client needs and preferences.

What attracted you to working with Gridcog?

The power market is a complex yet fascinating beast, with new regulations constantly emerging to adapt to the evolving energy transition. Joining Gridcog means being right in the middle of this beast, staying up to date to help various actors navigate its intricacies.

Gridcog’s entrepreneurial ethos is another aspect I find highly appealing. Everyone here is driven and united by a common purpose: capturing the complexity of the energy market in one easy-to-use software, enabling the growth of renewable projects.

What interests and excites you most about the energy industry?

What excites me most is the pace of the industry. A decade ago, grid-connected batteries were a remarkable novelty, with the focus primarily on their technological capabilities. Today, batteries are actively used in dozens of power markets, supported by extensive rules and regulations that have been forced to keep up.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I generally enjoy staying active and am currently establishing my new sporting routines in London—tennis and swimming are likely to make the list. I also enjoy social settings and will be quick to reach out to friends when I’m feeling bored.