6 Big Ideas Shaping the Future of Affordability and Reliability: Takeaways from GridFuture 2026

The energy industry has entered a new era. Rising electricity demand, AI-driven load growth, electrification and affordability concerns are reshaping the grid faster than forecasts can predict.

At GridFuture 2026, more than 300 energy leaders gathered to explore how virtual power plants, distributed energy resources and customer flexibility can help meet the moment.   

Here are six key takeaways. (Watch all the sessions here: GridFuture 2026.)

1. New Jersey is moving fast on energy affordability.

In her GridFuture keynote, Elizabeth Noll, Senior Strategist for Energy, Office of the Governor, State of New Jersey, outlined New Jersey’s aggressive effort to tackle rising energy costs while preparing for future demand growth.  

Since taking office, Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s administration has launched a broad energy agenda that includes expanding solar and battery storage, advancing new nuclear development, reforming utility business models and addressing the impact of data center growth on electricity costs.   

The goal, Noll said, is straightforward: bring more supply online, lower costs for customers and improve reliability across the state.  

A major focus of that strategy is scaling virtual power plants (VPPs) and distributed energy resources (DERs). Noll highlighted VPPs as a proven, near-term solution that can reduce peak demand, lower costs and unlock value from assets already connected to the grid.  

By integrating flexible resources into utility planning and market operations, New Jersey aims to create a grid that is more affordable, reliable and responsive to customer needs while positioning the state as a national leader in energy innovation.  

“We think New Jersey families deserve an electric grid that works smarter and costs less,” Noll said. 

2. Customers must win. 

For most of this industry’s history, electricity demand and electric infrastructure moved on roughly the same clock. Demand changed gradually. The grid responded gradually.  

In his GridFuture 2026 keynote, Scott Hart, EVP and President of NRG Business, described a defining challenge for the energy industry: electricity demand is now accelerating at technology speed, while the infrastructure needed to serve it takes years to plan, permit and build.  

Hart emphasized that continued investment in generation, transmission and distribution remains essential, but the industry must also make better use of the resources already connected to the grid. VPPs can help bridge this gap by coordinating flexible energy assets to support reliability, affordability, speed to power and sustainability.  

Hart also called for the industry to evolve beyond traditional demand response models built primarily for occasional emergencies. The next generation of flexibility should be more precise, dependable and responsive, while minimizing disruption to customers. Scaling these solutions will require alignment across technology, customer economics, market design and the customer value proposition. 

Above all, Hart emphasized that customers must benefit through cost efficiency, greater resilience, new revenue and progress toward sustainability goals or faster access to power.

“The load is coming. The flexibility is already here. Our job is to make it easier to provide, more dependable to use and more valuable for everyone,” Hart said.  

3. Data centers can be grid partners. 

As AI and data center growth drive a new wave of electricity demand, conversations focused on how the industry can meet rising load without sacrificing affordability or reliability.

One panel focused on the regulatory and policy mechanics needed, emphasizing the need for faster, more short-term solutions. Panelists pointed to demand response, virtual power plants, batteries and DERs as lower-risk tools that can help bridge near-term capacity gaps while supporting long-term grid modernization. 

The panel also focused on the emerging role of data centers as partners in grid solutions. Rather than simply consuming power, large loads are exploring investments in batteries, flexibility and VPPs that can unlock capacity and benefit the broader grid. While many of these models are still in their early stages, panelists agreed that collaboration among utilities, regulators, grid operators and energy users will be critical to ensuring that demand growth drives innovation, not higher costs for customers. 

4. Customer resources are moving from backup power to grid power. 

As power demand grows and grid constraints intensify, the industry can’t build its way out of the challenge fast enough. Instead, more value must be unlocked from DERs already deployed at customer sites. Batteries, generators and other behind-the-meter assets are more than resiliency tools. When coordinated through VPPs, they become a flexible source of dispatchable capacity that strengthens reliability and helps control costs. 

A panel with CPower’s distributed energy partners highlighted a shift from resiliency-only investments to assets that deliver value every day. Customers increasingly want solutions that combine reliability, bill savings, demand response, market participation and energy optimization in a single package.  

Ameresco, e2Companies, Generac and Scale Microgrids shared how the future of the grid will depend on making these resources smarter, more connected and easier to monetize, turning assets that once sat idle into active contributors to reliability, affordability and faster access to power. 

5. Flexibility is no longer optional. 

As electricity demand continues to rise, the fastest path to additional grid capacity is not only building new infrastructure, but unlocking the flexibility that already exists across homes, businesses, campuses, hospitals and commercial buildings.

During a panel discussion, CPower customers and partners shared a common message: demand response works when it aligns with operational priorities rather than competing with them. Whether maintaining patient care, supporting student learning, or meeting tenant expectations, organizations can contribute meaningful flexibility while staying focused on their core mission. The result is a more reliable grid, lower energy costs and new value streams for participants. 

The panel also highlighted a broader industry shift toward automation, connected buildings, advanced analytics and real-time visibility. Success depends on strong partnerships among customers, technology providers and aggregators, as well as market structures that reward participation and performance. As demand growth from AI, electrification and other emerging loads accelerates, customer-powered flexibility is evolving from a niche resource into an essential part of the grid’s future. 

6. VPPs reach a tipping point. 

During a live podcast with Latitude Media at GridFuture 2026, leaders from CPower and NRG said VPPs have reached a pivotal moment as accelerating electricity demand, aging infrastructure, extreme weather, and rising energy costs place unprecedented pressure on the grid. What was once viewed as a niche solution is increasingly being recognized as a critical tool for unlocking capacity, improving reliability and helping utilities meet near-term load growth challenges.

The panel noted that VPPs can provide meaningful support while the industry continues to invest in the generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure needed for long-term growth.  

Reflecting points made throughout the GridFuture conference, the discussion emphasized that technology alone will not drive adoption at scale. CPower and NRG stressed the need for market structures, regulatory frameworks and customer value propositions that properly recognize and compensate flexibility. While customer participation, DERs and aggregation capabilities have matured significantly, many utility programs and market rules were not designed to fully leverage these resources.  

The panel highlighted growing state-level interest in VPPs and expressed optimism that continued policy evolution, combined with strong customer economics and clearer market signals, will enable flexibility resources to play a much larger role in supporting affordability, reliability and grid resilience in the years ahead. 

“We need both more generation and more load flexibility,” said Ken Schisler, Senior Director, Growth & Policy, NRG. “The good news is that load flexibility is abundant. It’s like the movie The Sixth Sense, where the kid says, ‘I see dead people.’ I see load flexibility everywhere I look.” 

 Conclusion

If there was a single thread that carried through every GridFuture discussion, it was that meeting future demand will require unlocking flexibility already connected to the grid.  

The technology exists. The customer interest is growing. The time is now.

 

To watch all sessions from GridFuture 2026, visit: GridFuture 2026.