Energy Unwrapped with Mick Wall

Mick Wall

Real conversations about heat pumps, tariffs, solar, batteries, and home energy in the UK. Hosted by Mick Wall (Energy Stats UK), this channel breaks down real-world performance, costs, and decisions using actual data from a fully electrified home. For homeowners planning upgrades and installers who want to understand what actually works, each episode helps you make better energy decisions without hype. Looking for a heat pump installer? https://trustedheatpumpinstallers.co.uk/ Website: https://energy-stats.uk Video: https://www.youtube.com/@MickWall

  1. 3d ago

    Mixergy's Pete Armstrong: How Hot Water Cylinders Solve Grid Curtailment

    Hot water cylinders are one of the UK's biggest untapped energy storage assets — and most homes don't even know it. In this episode of the Energy Unwrapped Podcast, I sit down with Pete Armstrong, CEO and co-founder of Mixergy, to unpack a decade of engineering behind the smart hot water cylinder.We get into how top-down heating and stratification let a single 200L tank store roughly 10 kWh of usable energy, why there's something like 10 times more energy sitting in the UK's hot water tanks than in Dinorwig's pumped hydro plant, and how curtailed wind power in Scotland could be turned into free hot water for half of Scottish homes instead of being switched off.Pete also walks through why Mixergy moved to local, cloud-independent control, what the upcoming Secure Smart Electricity System regulation means for appliances like this, and where hot water storage sits against home batteries and EVs in the flexibility conversation.#Mixergy #HotWaterCylinder #EnergyStorage #UKEnergy #GridFlexibility #EnergyUnwrapped🎙️ Full Energy Unwrapped Podcast:👉 https://energy-stats.uk/energy-unwrapped-podcast/📊 Real-world UK energy data, analysis and tools:👉 https://energy-stats.uk🔥 Need help choosing a trusted heat pump installer?👉 https://www.trustedheatpumpinstallers.co.uk/⚡ Switch to Octopus Energy (we both get £50):👉 https://mickwall.octopus.energy/ ⚡ Axle Energy Flexibility Referral (we both get £25):👉 https://vpp.axle.energy/landing/grid?ref=R-ZWPYRZOD Golden Rules (best heat pump hot water settings:👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTE1NiWCOtk Future Homes Standard with Nigel Banks of Octopus👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln_ZEHDEiJI The Cheapest Electricity has Moved👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PodKKVa_BCk

  2. Jul 28

    James Clark | Elite Services Group

    How does a gas engineer become a heat pump specialist? In this episode of the Energy Unwrapped podcast, Mick Wall speaks with James Clark of Elite Services Group about his journey from gas engineering into heat pumps and renewable heating. James explains how his approach to heat pump design and installation developed, the impact of Heat Geek training, and why good installers need to keep learning as the industry changes. We also discuss communication, customer handover, aftercare and the importance of learning from mistakes. The conversation covers the realities of building and running a renewable heating business, including the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, recruitment, changing technology and the challenge of delivering quality heat pump installations at scale. James also shares his experience of solar, home batteries, air conditioning and smart electricity tariffs — and explains why the role of a heating installer is increasingly becoming that of a whole-home energy adviser. In this episode: James’s journey from gas engineer to heat pump specialist What makes a good heat pump installer Heat pump design, training and continuous learning Heat-loss surveys, installation and customer handover The Boiler Upgrade Scheme and industry challenges Running a heat pump and renewable heating business Solar, batteries and air conditioning Smart tariffs and the future of home energy 🔥 James and Elite Services Group are part of my Trusted Heat Pump Installer directory 👉 https://www.trustedheatpumpinstallers.co.uk/ 📊 Real-world UK energy data, analysis and tools: 👉 https://energy-stats.uk ⚡ Switch to Octopus Energy (we both get £50): 👉 https://mickwall.uk/octopus 🎙️ Energy Unwrapped Podcast: 👉 https://energy-stats.uk/energy-unwrapped-podcast/

  3. Jul 20

    Open Energy Monitor: The Tools Changing UK Energy

    In this episode of the Energy Unwrapped podcast, I speak to Glyn Hudson and Trystan Lea from OpenEnergyMonitor. We go back to the early days of OpenEnergyMonitor, from Glyn and Trystan meeting as childhood friends, to building early energy monitoring hardware, hand-soldered circuit boards, open-source software and the arrival of the Raspberry Pi. We also talk about how OpenEnergyMonitor moved from electricity monitoring into heat pump monitoring, how HeatPumpMonitor.org came about, and the role of John Cantor in helping shape real-world heat pump monitoring. This is a brilliant conversation about open-source energy monitoring, heat pump performance, billing-grade MID monitoring, manufacturer onboard data, installer learning, community forums, Raspberry Pi, Home Assistant, solar, batteries, EV charging and what better energy data can teach us. My own OpenEnergyMonitor journey started in October 2018 with an emonPi to monitor my solar. Since then, my setup has expanded to monitor solar, batteries, EV charging, cooking and my Vaillant heat pump. My heat pump was just system number 9 on HeatPumpMonitor.org. We also discuss what HeatPumpMonitor.org has revealed about good heat pump design, low flow temperatures, weather compensation, commissioning, accurate heat loss, simple system design, MID approved heat meters, onboard manufacturer monitoring, performance guarantees, consumer protection and what comes next for OpenEnergyMonitor. If you are thinking about getting a heat pump, take a look at my Trusted Heat Pump Installer Directory. I’m continuing to build it out with installers I would personally trust, and there is also a guide on how to choose a good installer. Links mentioned in this episode: OpenEnergyMonitor https://openenergymonitor.org/ HeatPumpMonitor.org https://heatpumpmonitor.org/ OpenEnergyMonitor Community Forum https://community.openenergymonitor.org/ John Cantor https://johncantor.uk/ Heat Pumps for the Home by John Cantor https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heat-Pumps-Home-John-Cantor/dp/1785007793/ 📊 Real-world UK energy data, analysis and tools: 👉 https://energy-stats.uk 🔥 Need help choosing a trusted heat pump installer? 👉 https://www.trustedheatpumpinstallers.co.uk/ ⚡ Switch to Octopus Energy (we both get £50): 👉 https://mickwall.octopus.energy/ 🎙️ Energy Unwrapped Podcast: 👉 https://energy-stats.uk/energy-unwrapped-podcast/

  4. Jul 10

    PredBat Explained | Save More With Your Home Battery

    Want to save more with your home battery? In this episode of the Energy Unwrapped podcast, I'm joined by Richard Eyres from PredBat to look at one of the most powerful home battery optimisation platforms available today. I've personally been running the open-source version of PredBat within Home Assistant for around 18 months, using it to automatically optimise my home battery against solar forecasts, electricity tariffs and household demand. It has genuinely saved me money, but it's always been aimed at enthusiasts. Now there's a commercial version designed for everyday homeowners. Richard explains how PredBat Cloud works, demonstrates the onboarding process live, and shows how it can help homeowners save more with their home battery by using solar forecasts, weather data, machine learning and dynamic electricity tariffs. We also discuss:• The history of Batpred and how it became PredBat• Why Home Assistant users love the open-source version• The new cloud platform and simplified setup• The 12-month savings guarantee• Solar forecasting and machine learning• Intelligent Octopus Go smart charging• Preventing your home battery discharging into your EV• Local hub vs cloud connectivity• GivEnergy support• Axle Energy virtual power plant integration• Why independent optimisation may be the future of home energy 🔗 PredBat referral: https://predbat.com/ref/mick-wall 🔗 Axle Energy referral (£25 joining credit): https://vpp.axle.energy/landing/grid?ref=R-ZWPYRZOD 🔗 Trusted Heat Pump Installers: https://www.trustedheatpumpinstallers.co.uk/ 🔗 Energy Stats UK: https://energy-stats.uk 🔗 Switch to Octopus Energy (we both get £50): https://mickwall.octopus.energy/ 🔗 Energy Unwrapped Podcast: https://energy-stats.uk/energy-unwrapped-podcast/

  5. Jun 30

    How Heat Geek Designs & Installs Heat Pumps with Aadil Qureshi

    Thinking about a heat pump from Heat Geek? In this episode of the Energy Unwrapped podcast, I sit down with Aadil Qureshi, CEO and co-founder of Heat Geek, to walk through the complete Heat Geek customer journey. We cover everything from the initial online estimate through to surveying, heat loss calculations, LiDAR scanning, Zero Disrupt design, installation, commissioning, performance guarantees and long-term support. My Heat Geek Affiliate Link:https://upgrades.heatgeek.com/c/mick-wall (You won't pay any more, but I may earn a small commission, thank you) Trusted Heat Pump Installers Directory: https://www.trustedheatpumpinstallers.co.uk/ 📊 Real-world UK energy data, analysis and tools: 👉 https://energy-stats.uk ⚡ Switch to Octopus Energy (we both get £50): 👉 https://mickwall.octopus.energy/ 🎙️ Energy Unwrapped Podcast: 👉 https://energy-stats.uk/energy-unwrapped-podcast/

  6. May 22

    The OG Heat Pump YouTuber | Emilie Romain

    Emilie Romain was talking about heat pumps on YouTube before almost anyone in the UK knew what they were. In this episode of Energy Unwrapped, Mick sits down with the OG heat pump content creator to hear how an accidental career pivot led her to front EcoBubl's videos in full overalls, why she thinks too many people gatekeep renewables by keeping it technical, and what it's like returning to an industry that's finally caught up with her. They also get into women in the trades, the shifting public mood around heat pumps, and Emilie's new role at Midsummer Energy helping homeowners find solar. A great listen for anyone on their own renewable energy journey. 📊 Real-world UK energy data, analysis and tools: 👉 https://energy-stats.uk 🔥 Need help choosing a trusted heat pump installer? 👉 https://www.trustedheatpumpinstallers.co.uk/ ⚡ Switch to Octopus Energy (we both get £50): 👉 https://mickwall.octopus.energy/

  7. May 15

    The Holy Trinity – LIVE at The Heat Pump Show

    This episode is a little different — recorded LIVE at The Heat Pump Show in Newark (April 2026), where I joined an expert panel discussion on what’s becoming known as:⚡ The Holy Trinity ⚡Solar PV + Battery Storage + Heat Pump Hosted by Simon Roberts from Heatio, this conversation dives deep into how these technologies work together to reduce running costs, improve comfort, optimise energy usage, and reshape the future of home electrification. Joining me on the panel were: 🔹 Andy Rankin — Midsummer 🔹 Daniel White — MCS 🔹 Sean Hogan — Aventus Eco We discuss: Solar + battery + heat pump integration Smart tariffs & energy optimisation Running costs vs upfront costs Home batteries & energy storage Heat pump comfort & efficiency Consumer education Future energy systems Energy as a service The future of electrified homes A huge thank you to Midsummer for organising The Heat Pump Show and inviting me to be part of the panel. Special thanks as well to Aventus Eco and Refurb & Retrofit Magazine for kindly allowing me to use recordings from the discussion. Aventus Eco: https://aventuseco.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@aventus-eco Refurb & Retrofit Magazine:https://www.refurbandretrofit.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@refurbandretrofit The Heat Pump Show organised by Midsummer:https://midsummerwholesale.co.uk/ 📊 Real-world UK energy data, analysis and tools: 👉 https://energy-stats.uk 🔥 Need help choosing a trusted heat pump installer? 👉 https://www.trustedheatpumpinstallers.co.uk/ ⚡ Switch to Octopus Energy (we both get £50): 👉 https://mickwall.octopus.energy/

  8. May 3

    Heat Loss with Steph Willis from Spruce

    In this episode of Energy Unwrapped, Mick Wall is joined by Steph Willis from Spruce to unpack one of the most misunderstood parts of heat pump design: heat loss calculations. They explore why heat loss surveys matter, how outdated ventilation assumptions have led to oversized systems, and why many homeowners may have been quoted for larger heat pumps — and more radiator upgrades — than they actually needed. Topics include: - Fabric vs ventilation heat loss - Why old guidance produced inflated heat loss figures - The real impact on heat pump sizing and system costs - Air changes, blower door tests & infiltration - Why accurate surveys matter for installers and homeowners - How better heat loss calculations could reduce disruption and improve heat pump adoption A practical and honest conversation for homeowners, installers, and anyone interested in heat pumps, retrofit, and home energy efficiency. 📊 Real-world UK energy data, analysis and tools: 👉 https://energy-stats.uk 🔥 Need help choosing a trusted heat pump installer? 👉 https://www.trustedheatpumpinstallers.co.uk/ ⚡ Switch to Octopus Energy (we both get £50): 👉 https://mickwall.octopus.energy/ 🎙️ Energy Unwrapped Podcast: In-depth conversations with installers, engineers and industry experts — breaking down what actually works in UK homes. Alongside the podcast, you’ll find practical guides, deep dives and real-world performance data to help you make smarter energy decisions.

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Real conversations about heat pumps, tariffs, solar, batteries, and home energy in the UK. Hosted by Mick Wall (Energy Stats UK), this channel breaks down real-world performance, costs, and decisions using actual data from a fully electrified home. For homeowners planning upgrades and installers who want to understand what actually works, each episode helps you make better energy decisions without hype. Looking for a heat pump installer? https://trustedheatpumpinstallers.co.uk/ Website: https://energy-stats.uk Video: https://www.youtube.com/@MickWall

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