# The state of connected DERs [partner content]

- Show: [Catalyst](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst)
- Published: 2024-09-24
- Length: 19m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-09-24-the-state-of-connected-ders-partner-content

## Summary

Charlotte Johnson, Global Director of Markets at Kraken, discusses the critical need for digitalization and automation to manage millions of distributed energy resources (DERs) like EVs, heat pumps, and solar. She explains that utilities are constrained by risk aversion and a lack of network visibility, with only 5% of distribution networks globally monitored, forcing some to take direct control of assets in markets like Australia and Germany. Johnson highlights Texas as a key growth market due to its volatile pricing and faster grid connection times compared to the UK, where Kraken manages 40 GW of DERs through its end-to-end platform.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-09-24-the-state-of-connected-ders-partner-content#t=7) Introduction: Charlotte Johnson and Kraken's background
- [2:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-09-24-the-state-of-connected-ders-partner-content#t=158) Constraints for utilities: Risk aversion and lack of visibility
- [4:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-09-24-the-state-of-connected-ders-partner-content#t=243) Defining flexibility: Ramping demand vs. dispatchable generation
- [5:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-09-24-the-state-of-connected-ders-partner-content#t=344) Global approaches: UK markets vs. direct control in Australia/Germany
- [8:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-09-24-the-state-of-connected-ders-partner-content#t=489) Texas market dynamics: Volatility, revenue, and grid connections
- [9:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-09-24-the-state-of-connected-ders-partner-content#t=586) Kraken's US strategy: Grid-scale and residential assets
- [11:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-09-24-the-state-of-connected-ders-partner-content#t=694) Consumer engagement: Trust, comfort, and override controls
- [13:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-09-24-the-state-of-connected-ders-partner-content#t=792) Virtual Power Plants: Clarifying the term and capabilities
- [14:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-09-24-the-state-of-connected-ders-partner-content#t=856) Infrastructure constraints: Decarbonization pace and locational pricing
- [16:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-09-24-the-state-of-connected-ders-partner-content#t=1018) Kraken's differentiator: End-to-end value chain and automation

## Topics

- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Kraken (company)
- National Grid (company)
- Kaiso (other)
- California (other)
- Texas (other)
- UK (other)
- GB (other)
- Australia (other)
- Germany (other)
- Norway (other)
- Illinois (other)
- Michigan (other)
- Maine (other)
- Scotland (other)
- England (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Managing Energy At The Edge: Navigating The Modern Grid With Itron](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2024-09-05-managing-energy-at-the-edge-navigating-the-modern-grid-with-itron) (Over the Air)
- [Smart Electrical Panels: Avoiding $25K Upgrades to Enable Home Electrification with Arch Rao](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-10-16-smart-electrical-panels-avoiding-25k-upgrades-to-enable-home-electrification-wit) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [Building An Agile, Global EMS To Serve EV Makers And Data Centers, with ALL Circuits CEO Bruno Racault](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2026-02-07-building-an-agile-global-ems-to-serve-ev-makers-and-data-centers-with-all-circui) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [Powering EVs: Microgrids & DC Charging Solutions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2025-08-19-powering-evs-microgrids-dc-charging-solutions) (Moore's Lobby)
- [Powering the World: Unlocking Grid Capacity with Heimdall Power](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2024-08-26-powering-the-world-unlocking-grid-capacity-with-heimdall-power) (Over the Air)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-09-24-the-state-of-connected-ders-partner-content. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Catalyst.