Transmission

In this discussion with Nick Chaset, CEO of Octopus Energy US, listeners dive into the complexities of the fragmented American energy market. Nick shares how Octopus adapts its successful UK model for U.S. consumers, emphasizing technology's role in creating customer-centric, flexible energy solutions. He discusses the challenges of legacy systems, the potential of flexible tariffs, and the innovative Kraken platform that enhances customer service. The conversation highlights opportunities for decarbonization and the need for a faster, smarter approach to electrification.

Nick Chaset, CEO of Octopus Energy US, discusses the intricacies of the US energy market and how Octopus is adapting its UK model for American consumers. He highlights the challenges posed by legacy systems that inhibit innovation. Chaset shares insights on harnessing technology for customer-centric energy solutions, the importance of flexible tariffs, and how digital platforms can enhance energy efficiency. He also emphasizes the need for accelerated electrification to achieve decarbonization and calls for faster infrastructure development.

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 guestJames 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 EnergyModo 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.

James Johnston, CEO and co-founder of Piclo, shares insights on local flexibility markets and their potential to address grid congestion. He discusses the pressing threat of grid constraints and how they hinder the energy transition. Johnston highlights innovative projects like ACE, where data centers fund virtual power plants, unlocking significant flexibility revenue. He emphasizes the importance of modular marketplace design and collaboration with distribution and transmission operators to enhance grid efficiency and visibility.

Killian Daly, the Executive Director at EnergyTag, shares insights into the world of energy certificates. He reveals how traditional yearly matching allows misleading claims of renewable energy usage. The conversation highlights the need for granular (hourly) certificates to improve transparency and credibility. Killian discusses the impact of hourly matching on corporate PPA strategies and the energy market. He also explains how accurate tracking can enhance storage investments and stability, urging large electricity consumers to lead this essential shift.

Killian Daly, Executive Director at EnergyTag, tackles the complexities of energy certificates and their impact on corporate renewable claims. He highlights the failures of annual matching, which mislead companies into appearing 100% green while relying on fossil fuels. The conversation dives into the revolutionary concept of granular energy certificates, offering real-time tracking of clean power usage. Killian underscores the urgency for transparency in decarbonization claims and how this shift could reshape procurement strategies, storage investments, and accountability.

Lee Taylor, CEO and founder of REsurety, leads a discussion on managing risk in clean energy markets. He explains how CleanTrade, a CFTC-licensed marketplace, revolutionizes agreements by streamlining the sluggish PPA process. Lee details the pitfalls of fixed-quantity contracts post-Winter Storm Uri and emphasizes the regulatory hurdles faced in launching CleanTrade. With a vision for creating a liquidity hub for renewables, he touches on the importance of carbon accounting and argues for a depoliticized approach to clean energy as a support for economic growth.

Lee Taylor, Founder and CEO of REsurety, delves into the intricacies of managing risk in the renewable energy sector. He discusses the emergence of CleanTrade and how it facilitates PPA execution, addressing the challenges posed by price volatility and market opacity. Lee highlights the evolution of hedging instruments and virtual PPAs, emphasizing the need for innovative financial tools to support renewable investments. He also shares insights on carbon accounting and the necessity of depoliticizing clean energy to enhance its economic benefits.

Tommy Ricketts, co-founder and CEO of BeZero Carbon, dives into the complexities of carbon markets. He discusses the challenge of proving the effectiveness of carbon credits, emphasizing the need for transparent ratings to build trust. Ricketts explains how ecological science translates to financial risk assessments and why rigor is essential for project quality. He also addresses concerns around greenwashing and the importance of governance in maintaining credibility. Ultimately, he advocates for transparency to ensure voluntary markets can scale effectively.

Tommy Ricketts, co-founder and CEO of BeZero Carbon, unpacks the intricacies of carbon markets. He highlights the fundamental challenge of proving the impact of carbon credits and advocates for rigorous rating systems to enhance transparency and trust. Tommy argues that viewing carbon credits as probabilistic risk instruments can better inform buyers and address market failures. He also shares insights on the lifecycle of carbon projects, the differences between voluntary and compliance markets, and his views on governance in carbon ratings.