Where Innovation Meets Reliability in the Race to Decarbonize

Padriac Fowler at Puget Sound Energy started with the management of distribution level generator interconnections (think: State jurisdiction Qualifying Facilities). Now, his focus is the management PSE’s residential behind-the-meter incentivized battery demand response program, Flex Batteries, entering its second year of operation in Winter 2025. He carries additional responsibilities in a consulting capacity for PSE’s development of new clean energy programs, including commercial customer battery programs and PSE’s overall Virtual Power Plant (VPP) and DERMs orchestration strategy.

Balancing Innovation and Reliability through Collaborative Leadership

I’m a firm believer in the power of affiliative leadership with a dash of mentorship and vision. Communication is paramount, and everyone does it differently. How we communicate mirrors how we think, and it is our way of thinking that ultimately draws us to one expertise or another.

"I try to strike a balance between the I need it all today enthusiasm of DERs and the necessarily time-consuming efforts of evolving electrical standards and creating impactful utility programs, while still holding in the highest regard safe and reliable interconnection."

One of my greatest strengths is adapting to different communication styles and bringing those individuals into the main conversation. When people feel heard, they are disarmed. They feel free to speak. That’s where innovation sparks.

Navigating the New Demands of Distributed Energy

The greatest challenge is moderating the pace at which everything is trying to change. Customers, large and small, want to become more energy savvy. Utilities are executing on ambitious green energy strategies. Technologies seemingly evolve overnight. The demand for new load requests and generator interconnections has never been higher.

I try to strike a balance between the I need it all today enthusiasm of DERs and the necessarily timeconsuming efforts of evolving electrical standards and creating impactful utility programs, while still holding in the highest regard safe and reliable interconnection.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution and customers must be central to the strategy. While it is certainly true that utilities have distribution level delivery issues to resolve, and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), DERMs and other front-of-the-meter strategies will be instrumental, I believe the success of those will depend on how informed and involved the rate payers are. From the substation down to the individual home battery, fleet Electric Vehicle or thermostat, distributed renewables are rife with opportunity. I believe the optimal solution will be obtained through an orchestration of all available tools.

The Value of Interdisciplinary Thinking

From my perspective, gone are the days of a centralized utility model. Decentralization is here to stay, the level of hype is appropriate, and yet so much is new. I would encourage young professionals to seek out interdisciplinary career paths. Combine the knowledge of different disciplines and apply them to the power and energy problems of today as well as those we haven’t yet faced. There’s a lot of exciting work ahead of us.