We’re pleased to welcome David Castree, President of Energy & Utilities at Hansen Technologies, as one of the newest Featured Experts in the Energy Central community. With a global track record in customer-centric leadership and a front-row seat to the energy sector’s ongoing digital transformation, David brings a practical and future-focused perspective on how utilities can evolve. Whether it’s unlocking the potential of virtual power plants or deploying domain-specific AI agents, David has been helping organizations turn complexity into opportunity—and he’s now here to share those insights with the broader community.
In this interview, David reflects on the real meaning of digital transformation in energy, discusses the tangible impact of GenAI tools like Hansen’s AI agent Grace, and shares his take on the growing role of DERs and VPPs in shaping a more flexible, customer-responsive grid. With a deep understanding of how legacy constraints intersect with innovation pressures, David offers an honest, actionable perspective on where the utility sector is heading—and how to get there. Dive into the discussion below and join us in welcoming David to the Energy Central expert network!
Matt Chester: You’ve worked across some of the biggest shifts in the energy sector. What keeps you motivated in this space, and what brought you to Hansen?
David Castree: The energy sector has never stood still. It’s a unique intersection of infrastructure, economics, and daily life, and it’s evolving rapidly. What keeps me motivated is the opportunity to work on complex challenges that have real impact. Hansen offered a chance to contribute to meaningful change, helping utilities move beyond legacy systems toward more modern, customer-centric solutions.
MC: People often talk about ‘digital transformation.’ What does it truly mean in the context of energy, and where is the momentum today?
DC: The term “digital transformation” is often oversimplified, but in energy, it goes far beyond technology updates. It means rethinking how utilities operate, from billing and customer engagement to real-time energy management. We’re seeing momentum in areas like dynamic pricing, smart meter integration, and EV optimisation. It’s a shift from reactive processes to proactive, data-driven approaches, and there’s a real appetite for that change now.
MC: If innovation is the goal, what are the main barriers utilities face along the way?
DC: Legacy systems are a significant hurdle. Utilities operate in a risk-averse, highly regulated environment, so major changes can feel daunting. Our role is to offer tools and products that integrate seamlessly, deliver measurable value quickly, and lay the groundwork for larger transformation when the time is right. Scalability and modularity are key to making that path manageable.
MC: You’ve talked about “turning utilities into energy partners.” How is that impacting customer experience today?
DC: Customers increasingly want control, especially those generating their own power or managing EV usage. The challenge is enabling that without adding complexity. Tools like our Self-Service Digital Portal and Grace, our AI agent, help streamline experiences like solar optimisation or EV charge scheduling. It’s about removing friction and creating a more intuitive, responsive relationship with the utility.
MC: There’s a lot of discussion around GenAI and virtual agents. What’s practical now, and what’s still theoretical?
DC: GenAI, especially when powered by the right LLMs, is already transforming how we deliver customer service. At Hansen, we’ve deployed “Grace,” our AI virtual agent, which uses a compact, fine-tuned LLM to resolve real-world service calls across energy and telco sectors.
Grace orchestrates complex processes end-to-end: verifying identity, updating account details, processing payments, even scheduling callbacks, in a single conversation and without a handoff.
What’s practical now is this kind of domain-specific orchestration AI, where the LLM is integrated with backend systems, guided by memory, security rules, and business logic.
Grace can perceive intent, reason across steps, recall previous conversations, act securely through APIs, and reflect on context, all in real time.
What remains theoretical is a fully generalist AI agent that can autonomously handle open-ended, emotionally nuanced, or high-stakes conversations without human alignment or oversight. The LLMs are powerful, but the real value comes when they’re grounded in business context, with security and compliance built in from the start.
MC: DERs and VPPs are generating buzz. What’s the real opportunity there, and how is Hansen involved?
DC: Distributed energy resources, solar, batteries, EVs, are becoming mainstream. The next step is helping utilities and customers monetise them. Virtual power plants (VPPs) make it possible to treat distributed assets like a single, flexible resource. The key is coordination, and that’s where we’re focused, developing the tools for smart scheduling, trading, and back-end support. At scale, it only works with robust, reliable technology behind the scenes.
MC: We’re excited that you’re joining our Energy Central community. What do you hope to contribute, and what are you looking to gain?
DC: I’m hoping to share insights, what’s worked, what hasn’t, and learn from others doing the same. There’s huge value in peer exchange, especially as we all navigate the pressure to deliver better service in a rapidly changing sector. If I can offer something practical and actionable, that’s a win. And if someone helps me see a challenge in a new way, even better.
MC: Finally, if you could change one thing in the energy world with a wave of a wand, what would it be?
DC: I’d eliminate the complexity customers must deal with. They shouldn't need to understand technical details like meter IDs or settlement systems. What matters to them is reliability, affordability, and ease of service. We now have the technology to make that experience seamless, it’s just a matter of applying it in the right places.
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Thanks to David for joining me for this interview and providing a wealth of insights and expertise to the Energy Central Community. You can trust that David will be available for you to reach out and connect and ask questions as an Energy Central member, so be sure to make him feel welcome when you see him across the platform.