Bill Prindle, principal of Better Energy Advisors, told us what distributed energy resource (DER) companies don’t get about utilities in episode 1 of this two-part series. Now he looks at the other angle — what utilities don’t get about distributed energy players. 

It’s a clash of business cultures: Utilities have historically operated as monopolistic, cautious, heavily regulated entities. DER companies are innovative, often disruptive, scrappy and highly competitive. And they have to work together.

Prindle is uniquely qualified to describe the nuances of how these two entities interact. He’s worked with both for many years in roles at ICF, the American Council on an Energy-Efficient Economy and the Alliance to Save Energy. 

Here we look at the sometimes uneasy relationship between utilities and distributed energy companies as new challenges emerge in the electric sector, including flattened demand growth, DER integration, regulatory shifts, and evolving business models. 

—“For decades, utilities operated in a happy economic environment—demand grew, rates decreased, and everyone benefitted. But the game has changed.” – Bill Prindle

—“The industry isn’t just about engineering and regulation; it’s also a fascinating study in culture and personality.” – Elisa Wood