It is true everything in Texas is bigger!
Last week the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, TX was the place to be for DISTRIBUTECH 2025. Over 20,000 industry leaders within the energy sector took over the downtown area. Every year this conference brings together top experts from around the world to discuss some of the biggest challenges facing the energy sector, such as extreme weather events like wildfires and hurricanes, the rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), and the rise of AI.
The increase of EVs, and the expansion of data centers are areas seen to be increasing energy consumption when grid reliability is currently a major concern. These challenges were addressed throughout the week in many of the keynotes and packed sessions, as well as in conversations on the exhibit floor.
For the OpenADR Alliance, we kicked the week off with an announcement of our first OpenADR 3.0 certified products with E.ON, EVoke Systems and Universal Devices. OpenADR 3.0 provides highly secure, fast, and reliable two-way information exchange for utility applications with simple communications needs. It was developed to simplify messaging, including pricing, offering more dynamic pricing structures, as well as better enabling greenhouse gas signaling, grid code adjustments, and capacity management communication.
Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) is currently exploring a Demand Response Emerging Technology demonstration to evaluate the benefits of OpenADR 3.0 in collaboration with Universal Devices, further demonstrating the open standard potential to enhance grid flexibility and load management. In addition Alliance member Kaluza discussed a dynamic pricing program implementing OpenADR 3.0 also with PG&E.
Last week, EVoke Systems made an announcement, which expands its Energy Services Exchange (ESX) with OpenADR 3.0 to enable scalable EV load management. The ESX platform, developed in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory, is designed to support end-to-end EV load flexibility. ESX is currently deployed as a proof-of-concept in Con Edison’s service territory, where EVoke Systems manages over 2,500 charging stations.
Also, we are excited to share more on a new use case that will highlight the solution behind AMPECO’s integration with E.ON’s SWITCH. A real-world application leveraging OpenADR 3.0.
As always it was great to connect with industry partners and our members throughout the week, and to have utilities, such as National Grid, Duke Energy, APS, SRP, etc., eager to understand more about OpenADR 3.0.
We had over 20 members exhibiting on the show floor and this gave us a chance to learn more about their OpenADR programs. For example, Resideo Grid Services and their role as an Edge-DERMS with initiatives like the EV-Home Power Partnership project with Ford. We look forward to learning more about this project in the near future.
Although DISTRIBUTECH was in Texas, things are still happening across the pond. Energy Networks Association (ENA), Elexon, NESO and OpenADR Alliance signed a letter of intent last week to further develop OpenADR 3.0, a common standardized language used to dispatch flexibility within the GB market. You can read more about this development here.
Rolf Bienert also had a chance to introduce OpenADR 3.0 to the Indian delegation during the US-India Smart Energy Roundtable at DISTRIBUTECH.
As you walked the convention center, you could feel the excitement and commitment driving the innovation to advance technologies and grid edge intelligence ultimately leading to a smarter, more resilient and reliable grid.
Be sure to visit our LinkedIn page to hear our member’s videos from the show floor.
Michael Siemann, Resideo Grid Services