235: From Grid to Great: How Duke Energy Sparks Customer Innovation

Why do so many people still picture utilities as dusty infrastructure, monthly bills, and storm alerts, when in reality they sit at the centre of some of the most inventive work happening in our communities today? This question sets the stage for a conversation that opens the door to a world most listeners rarely see.

In this episode of the Innovation Storytellers Show, I speak with Robb Dussault, Manager of Grid Edge Innovation at Duke Energy, who brings decades of experience in engineering, product development, customer programs, and safety innovation. Robb helps listeners understand how a modern utility actually works and why the future of energy depends on the ideas emerging from teams like his.

From early work on hazardous switchgear to the rise of remote sensors, robots, drones, and even autonomous flaggers on road crews, Robb explains how practical questions about safety and reliability often drive innovation. He shares stories about customer research that shifted major programs, the growing influence of agile methods in a traditionally conservative field, and the value of checking every shiny idea against real human behaviour.

Listeners also hear how batteries, home energy storage, electric vehicles, and residential demand response are quietly reshaping the grid and changing the relationship between customers and utilities. Robb offers clear insight into how this shift toward interactive energy is accelerating far faster than most people realise.

The conversation moves from early memories of intimidating power labs to a thoughtful look at what comes next for communities facing rising demand, new electrification trends, and pressure to deliver cleaner, more affordable energy.

Robb shares his hopes for the next wave of innovation, the role of AI in sectors like healthcare, and why innovators in any industry should pay closer attention to customer needs before building ambitious pilots. It is a grounded, eye-opening dialogue that reveals the creativity and responsibility within the utility sector.