Part 2 of a 2-Part Series
Distributed energy is redefining the power paradigm, and in these exciting, fast-changing times of renewable innovation and connectivity, the conversation is more relevant than ever. At RE+ 2025, Stryten Energy hosted a dynamic panel discussion at its booth titled “Behind the Meter, Ahead of the Curve.” Moderated by Scott Childers, the conversation brought together industry leaders to explore how distributed energy resources (DERs) are redefining the power paradigm. With the rise of microgrids, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and regulatory shifts, the panelists shared insights on the evolving landscape of energy resilience.
Meet the Panelists:
- David Johnson, VP of Sales & Marketing, CE+T America
- Jon Parrella, CEO, Terra Flow Energy
- Dr. Vick Singh, COO, Dragonfly Energy
- Moderator: Scott Childers, VP of Essential Power, Stryten Energy
Here are the highlights from the conversation:
Childers: “What you consider strong key impacts coming out of the regulatory environment that’s going to make a difference either now or in the near future?”
Legislation continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the energy storage market. Parrella pointed to a major win, “The fact that the [One] Big Beautiful Bill survived and that storage survived, that was definitely crucial to seeing the acceleration of it.” He noted that responsive and controllable loads are now being incentivized, with states like New York creating their own programs, “New York is creating their own incentives… incentivizing the construction of batteries because I think everybody’s seen that batteries help to stabilize the grid.”
Johnson highlighted the growing urgency around power availability, “The amount of power that’s being required, especially with the new AI loads, is outpacing what’s available. So there must be another alternative — and better energy storage is a big, realizable alternative now.” He also flagged interconnection delays as a persistent challenge, “Depending on what state you’re in… it can range from six to 12 months to get a response from the utility to allow the project to move forward.”
Dr. Singh emphasized the increasing complexity of supply chain compliance, “Federal authorities want much more insight into your supply chain… further and further upstream than I’ve ever seen previously.” He added that long-term policy mechanisms will be essential to protect domestic manufacturing, “Once you bring it back, the most important thing is those folks don’t get priced out of market by somebody outside the country.”
Together, the panelists agreed that while regulatory hurdles remain, the momentum is building, and the next few years will be critical for unlocking the full potential of distributed energy.
Childers: “what are the key technical changes that’s happened in the last couple of years or that’s going to happen here in the next couple of years that’s going to make battery energy storage really viable and going to change the landscape in terms of how we deploy and use battery energy storage system?”
Johnson began with safety, “One of the first ones, its simplest ones, is safety. The regulatory changes over the past, say 10 years have really pumped up on safe applications of battery energy storage, especially on lithium ion.”
Parrella emphasized the role of data centers, “The power of volatility, the harmonic distortion feedback… they’re all turning to storage to try and solve the problem. There’s not a lot of solutions out there other than storage that can bridge that gap.” Parrella also pointed to the rise of flow batteries, “The newer emerging technologies in the flow space are definitely the winner when it comes to longer duration storage.”
Dr. Singh added that integration and user experience are key, “Our markets, the end user is really looking for something turnkey, zero to little maintenance, low cost.” Dr. Singh also highlighted the growing dominance of LFP cells, “Even in the next two, three years, you’re going to continue to see a greater and greater market share for LFP cells.”
Childers: “What would you say are some of your most common misconceptions from a customer standpoint or people that you think should be in the market but aren’t because of these misconceptions?”
The panelists addressed common misconceptions that hinder adoption. Johnson summed it up, “It’s too dangerous and it’s too expensive.”
Parrella clarified that flow batteries don’t share the same risks, “We get bundled with lithium-ion a lot… but thermal runaway is obviously a big concern, and we don’t have that issue with the flow battery.”
Dr. Singh emphasized education, “LFP is non-toxic, and is a much safer chemistry than some of the other lithium-ion batteries available, but it still requires education, and there are still a lot of products out there that don’t necessarily have the best BMS or protection circuit.”
Childers: “As we transition from centralized power plants to distributed energy resources, how do you predict the two will work together? In 10 or 20 years, what percentage of the load do you think each will serve?”
The panel closed with predictions for the next decade. Johnson forecasted a major shift, “My prediction would be about 50% in say 10 years… I think we’ll get to that point.”
Parrella envisioned a hybrid future, “You’re going to see a combination of larger batteries that are distributed and smaller pockets… more of the markets go nodal.”
Dr. Singh looked further ahead, “I envision large storage installations that are branched out into almost like the nervous system of the grid… smaller behind-the-meter storage installations that are able to feed one another.”
Final Takeaway
The RE+ panel made it clear: distributed energy is no longer a fringe concept; it’s a foundational shift. As technology improves, regulations evolve, and economic drivers align. Behind-the-meter solutions are poised to play a central role in building a smarter, more resilient grid.
Click below to watch the full recording on the Stryten Energy YouTube channel.
