Can local flexibility markets fix grid congestion with James Johnston (Piclo)

The grid was never designed for millions of distributed energy assets. Yet today, batteries, EVs, solar, and heat pumps are connecting faster than the network can reinforce - pushing grid capacity to its limits.

The result? Growing connection queues, rising curtailment, and a system struggling to keep pace with electrification. So how do we move from a grid that reacts to constraints to one that actively manages them?

DSOs are evolving and distribution-level flexibility matters now more than ever. What does it take to build market infrastructure that actually works for both system operators and flexibility providers?

In this episode of Transmission, James Johnston - CEO of Piclo, returns to the show to discuss explore how local flexibility markets are being used to manage congestion today and what digitalisation really means for networks.

Key topics covered:

• Why grid constraints are the biggest threat to the energy transition.

• How local flexibility markets are solving real congestion problems today.

• The evolving role of DSOs and how they coordinate with TSOs.

• What digitalisation means for system planning and grid visibility.

• Lessons from live flexibility markets in the UK, Europe, and the US.

About our guest

James Johnston is CEO and co-founder of Piclo, a flexibility marketplace used by network and system operators to procure flexibility from distributed energy resources. Through his work at Piclo, he is helping system operators manage congestion, reduce reinforcement costs, and accelerate the transition to a smarter, more flexible electricity system.

For more information, head to the Piclo website. https://www.piclo.com/

About Modo Energy

Modo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage solutions understand the market - and make the most out of their assets.

All of our interviews are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To keep up with all of our latest updates, research, analysis, videos, conversations, data visualizations, live events, and more, follow us on LinkedIn. Check out The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series breaking down how power markets work.