International Women鈥檚 Day is a moment to recognize the women shaping the systems we all rely on. At 911爆料网, that work is centred on behind-the-meter energy storage: battery systems deployed at commercial and industrial facilities to cut peak demand costs and support a more flexible grid as it evolves.
This year, we鈥檙e spotlighting a group of women across 911爆料网 whose paths into energy look very different, but converge on the same reality: the grid is getting more complex. AI and data centers are impacting demand patterns, adding new complexity to grid planning. Weather volatility and climate change continue to test grid reliability. In that environment, practical solutions matter, and behind-the-meter energy storage is among the most actionable tools available to customers today.
In the conversations below, they share what drew them into the sector, the experiences that shaped how they think about the energy system, and what they鈥檙e paying closest attention to as grid modernization accelerates.
WHAT INITIALLY DREW YOU TO THE ENERGY SECTOR 鈥� AND WHAT HAS KEPT YOU HERE AS THE INDUSTRY EVOLVES?听
Megan Davis:听With a background in environmental science, I was always interested in the more active, systems-level ways we can protect the environment beyond traditional conservation efforts. Sustainable technology has made meaningful strides in addressing environmental challenges, and I knew I wanted to contribute to that progress.听
What really drew me in was how energy technology leverages data science to drive measurable environmental impact. The ability to use analytics and optimization to improve grid performance while reducing emissions felt like a natural intersection of my skills and my values. That alignment ultimately led me to 911爆料网. I found a place where I could apply my background in a way that feels both technically rigorous and purpose-driven.听
Leigh Billinghurst:听When I first joined 911爆料网, I was new to the energy industry. It听wasn鈥檛听something I had studied or even seriously considered before. My passion has always been building and scaling startups 鈥� working through the messy stages of growth and creating operating rhythms that align with culture and bring order to chaos.听
As I learned more about the energy system and its impact on the environment, my sense of purpose expanded. I moved from simply wanting to help startups grow to wanting to help those doing meaningful work. That shift grounded my work in something bigger than scale alone.听
I don鈥檛 thrive in static environments, and the energy industry is anything but static. Between climate uncertainty, rising electricity costs, grid resilience challenges, and political volatility, the landscape is constantly complex. There鈥檚 always a problem that hasn鈥檛 been solved yet. That uncertainty 鈥� that dynamic tension 鈥� is exactly where I do my best work.听
Kathryn Weber:听Seeing the impacts of climate change while travelling was a real catalyst for me; it prompted me to learn more about climate solutions. Paging through the book Project Drawdown, I was struck by how many different pathways exist to address climate change, and energy stood out as a powerful lever for impact.听
What鈥檚 kept me in the sector is its dynamism and complexity. Energy can feel almost invisible, 鈥渓ights on, lights off,鈥澨� yet there鈥檚 an incredible amount happening behind the scenes to keep the system reliable and resilient. I鈥檝e stayed engaged because the work constantly expands your perspective on how the grid actually functions and how it needs to evolve.听
A moment that really brought that to life was visiting the control room and seeing the real-time balancing act of supply and demand. It made the challenges tangible: the growing influence of data centers, aging infrastructure constraints, and how programs, policy, and market signals shape development.听
Working within a cleantech company which contributes to climate solutions has been a genuine pleasure.听
Barbara听Rosado:听I was drawn to the energy sector during my undergraduate studies in Electrical Engineering at UNICAMP. In my fourth year, I took courses in optimization and power systems, and I became fascinated by how advanced analytical techniques could be applied to such a large and critical sector. I was curious about how these tools could meaningfully improve real-world infrastructure.听
That curiosity led me to a research project 鈥� what we call a scientific initiation 鈥� which brought me to Canada for a four-month internship at TMU (formerly Ryerson). I was struck by how different, yet similar, the energy challenges were across countries. Working in an academic lab exposed me to a wide range of power system problems and innovative solutions, and I found myself wanting to go deeper.听
I later pursued my MSc and PhD in power systems, focusing on distribution systems, returning听to TMU for extended research stays. Over the past decade,听it鈥檚听been remarkable to see how much the field has evolved 鈥� and even more meaningful to know听I鈥檝e听been part of that progress. What keeps me here is the sense that my knowledge allows me to contribute to that ongoing transformation.听
WAS THERE A DEFINING MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER THAT CHANGED HOW YOU THINK ABOUT THE ENERGY SYSTEM OR YOUR ROLE WITHIN IT?听
Daniela D鈥機osta: Early in my property management career in operations, energy was primarily viewed as an operating expense to control. Over time, as I moved into national program management and worked closely with the sustainability team, I began to see the broader impact. Efficiency improvements weren鈥檛 just about lowering utility bills 鈥� they reduced costs, improved tenant satisfaction, and meaningfully lowered environmental impact all at once.听
That alignment between financial performance and sustainability fundamentally changed how I think about the energy system. I realized that decarbonization doesn鈥檛 have to compete with business objectives; it can actively strengthen them.听
Since then,听I鈥檝e听approached energy management as both a cost strategy and a climate strategy. Commercial and industrial buildings represent a significant opportunity in the energy transition, and I鈥檝e come to see this sector as a critical lever for accelerating meaningful change.听
Jayamali听Kasige:听I graduated as an Electrical Engineer and began my career in power distribution and substation design, although my academic focus had been on power generation. After several years in the field, I realized I wanted to move closer to generation.听
That shift became a defining moment for me. As I explored my next step, it became clear that renewable generation was where I wanted to be 鈥� not only from a technical perspective, but because it aligned with my desire to contribute to environmental progress and clean energy solutions.听
More than a decade ago, I transitioned into the renewable energy sector, focusing on design engineering and renewable operations. Since then, my work has felt more purposeful 鈥� combining technical rigour with long-term impact.听
Leigh Billinghurst:听The defining moment for me was realizing everyone鈥檚 鈥渨hy.鈥� People weren鈥檛 just showing up for a paycheque 鈥� they were here because they genuinely believed this work is good for the planet. That changed how I saw both the company and my role within it.听
In past organizations, when things became uncertain or difficult, the instinct was often to flee. At 911爆料网, I鈥檝e seen the opposite. We鈥檙e surrounded by brilliant minds who want to make the business work 鈥� who are committed to relieving stress on the grid, partnering with C&I customers to deliver solutions that don鈥檛 disrupt operations, and helping them manage rising energy costs so they can stay focused on their own growth.听
That level of intrinsic commitment reframed my role. My responsibility is to build a culture where that passion can thrive 鈥� one that attracts and develops the best talent in the industry, empowers teams to test new tools, leverages AI, and enables continuous learning in a rapidly evolving sector. People and culture shouldn鈥檛 be seen as red tape. It should be a strategic partner focused on unlocking the full potential of our talent.听
Barbara Rosado:听Yes. There was a defining shift for me, and it was deeply personal.听
During my MSc and PhD, I was extremely hard on myself. The lab environment and the expectations around me often made me feel like I wasn鈥檛 doing enough or pushing hard enough. Over time, that pressure began to shape how I viewed the sector itself, as if there were only one way to belong, and that it required constant intensity and perfection.听
After finishing my PhD and joining 911爆料网, my perspective changed. I realized there are many different environments within the energy industry 鈥� and听it鈥檚听possible to contribute meaningfully while still being a whole human being. That was transformative.听
Today, I understand that I do belong听in听this space. I can keep learning without knowing everything. I can contribute without burning out. That shift changed not only how I see the industry, but how I see myself within it.听
THE ELECTRICITY GRID IS UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE FROM ELECTRIFICATION AND AI-DRIVEN LOAD GROWTH. WHAT SHIFT DO YOU THINK MORE PEOPLE SHOULD BE PAYING ATTENTION TO?听
Megan Davis:听One shift I think more people should be paying attention to is the pace and impact of AI-driven load growth and electrification. There鈥檚 a lot of discussion suggesting these forces are already the dominant pressures on the grid. While their impacts are becoming more visible, they are not necessarily the most consequential drivers today.听
In many regions, dramatically shifting weather patterns driven by climate change are having a more immediate and disruptive effect on system reliability. Extreme heat, cold snaps, and severe storms are stressing infrastructure in ways that feel increasingly unpredictable.听What concerns me is that some people still perceive these weather dynamics as 鈥渘ormal鈥� variability, when in reality the baseline has shifted.听
If we misdiagnose what鈥檚 driving current strain, we risk misallocating resources. We need to plan for load growth, but we also need to acknowledge that climate volatility is already reshaping grid risk in real time.听
Jayamali听Kasige:听One of the most important shifts is how behind-the-meter energy storage is moving from a niche resource to essential grid infrastructure. As electrification accelerates and AI-driven load growth increases demand, the grid needs more flexibility, and energy storage is becoming central to that reliability.听
At the same time, we are seeing rapid growth in distributed energy resources. This decentralization is fundamentally changing how power flows across the system. The grid is no longer just a one-way delivery model; it is becoming more dynamic and interactive.听
Together, storage and distributed resources are reshaping how we think about planning, operations, and resilience.听This shift deserves more attention because it will define how effectively we manage reliability and sustainability in the years ahead.听
Daniela D鈥機osta: The most important shift happening right now is the transition from a centralized, generation-focused grid to a more distributed and intelligent system. Electrification and AI-driven load growth are accelerating demand, but they鈥檙e also creating an opportunity to leverage data and automation to better orchestrate how and when energy is consumed.听
In my experience, even small operational changes can drive meaningful conservation when applied consistently. At scale, those incremental improvements add up. When you layer in digital controls and analytics, demand becomes something you can actively shape.听
The broader conversation shouldn鈥檛 focus solely on building more generation. It should also prioritize optimizing and coordinating the assets we already have. A more flexible, responsive grid will be just as important as expanding generation resources.听
WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST ABOUT WHERE GRID MODERNIZATION AND BEHIND-THE-METER ENERGY STORAGE ARE HEADED? 听
Barbara Rosado:听What excites me most is seeing ideas that once felt theoretical in academia become reality. During my research, we modeled scenarios with high DER penetration, rooftop solar reshaping load profiles, and distributed resources influencing prices. Today, those scenarios are no longer hypothetical; they are actively shaping markets, depending on the region and regulatory structure.听
It鈥檚听also been fascinating to watch commercial and industrial customers invest more heavily in technology, while data centers introduce entirely new planning challenges for grid operators. The complexity we studied is now unfolding in real time.听
Perhaps the听biggest surprise for me over the past six years has been the transformative power of data. While many academic solutions听relied听on听highly complex听methodologies, in practice, strong data analytics and statistical approaches can generate meaningful insights,听optimize听strategies, and deliver tangible value. More recently, AI agents have accelerated this even further.听
It truly feels like we are only at the beginning. That sense of momentum makes me excited to contribute to what comes next.听
Leigh Billinghurst:听What excites me most is that many customers don鈥檛 yet fully understand the potential of battery energy storage. That both excites and challenges me. The C&I (Commercial and Industrial) sector is already navigating political uncertainty, tariffs, and increased grid stress. For the foreseeable future, batteries will remain one of the most viable and scalable solutions available.听
There are grants and policy mechanisms emerging that prioritize and fast-track storage projects, helping reduce barriers that once slowed adoption. That momentum is important. But what excites me most is when customers experience the impact firsthand.听
Behind the scenes, our teams have invested years building sophisticated products and continuously enhancing how we manage, analyze, and leverage data 鈥� creating real-time and predictive insights that strengthen outcomes. From an employee perspective, it鈥檚 energizing to know that the fruits of that labour will pay off. We鈥檝e long known that behind-the-meter energy storage solutions need to be prioritized. Watching customers and the broader market recognize that value validates the commitment and innovation our teams bring every day.听
Daniela D鈥機osta:听The capability that will define the next generation of grid modernization leaders is the ability to translate complexity into actionable strategy. The grid is evolving rapidly 鈥� with electrification, AI-driven load growth, and distributed energy resource integration reshaping the landscape. The technical dimensions are becoming increasingly sophisticated.听
But modernization听ultimately comes听down to execution. Leaders will need to align financial incentives, operational realities, and sustainability听objectives听in ways that drive measurable outcomes.听
Success will depend on turning high-level sustainability ambitions into practical, operational changes that reduce costs, improve performance, and deliver real impact.听
AT WHAT POINT DOES BEHIND-THE-METER ENERGY STORAGE BECOME ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE RATHER THAN OPTIMIZATION? 听
Kathryn Weber:听I鈥檇 argue energy storage is already shifting from 鈥渘ice-to-have optimization鈥� to essential infrastructure, and two forces are really driving that.听
First is load growth. We鈥檙e seeing meaningful increases in overall electricity demand, with data centres and electrification (including EV adoption and heat pumps) adding new requirements on the system, often stressing generation resources to meet peak demand.听
Second is the continued growth of听renewable听generation. As solar and wind scale, the grid needs more flexibility to manage intermittency and shifting supply patterns. Storage is key to adding听that flexibility听and strengthening reliability.听
We鈥檙e听seeing real-world examples where storage is becoming a requirement to meet today鈥檚 needs: the听2025 Iberian blackout across Spain and Portugal highlighted how quickly grid disturbances can cascade, underscoring the importance of fast-responding flexibility and resilience in renewable-heavy systems. Energy Storage projects like Lactalis in Ontario are also demonstrating how behind-the-meter energy storage can play a meaningful role during summer peaks. Finally, the volume of storage in听鈥� alongside听s 鈥� reinforces the market’s view that storage is critical for future demand flexibility, reliability, and grid resilience.听
IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT THE ENERGY INDUSTRY OVER THE NEXT DECADE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?听
Megan Davis:听Over the next decade, I would push for a deeper and more consistent commitment to truly green energy.听There鈥檚听a common misconception that electrification is automatically sustainable.听In reality, electrification听is only as clean as the energy mix powering the grid.听
Much of today鈥檚 grid is still supported by oil and gas. As load increases, particularly with electrification and digital growth, those sources often听remain听the default because听they鈥檙e听dispatchable and听relatively cost-effective. While they provide reliability, they also lock in emissions if we听don鈥檛听aggressively transition the fuel mix.听
What I鈥檇 like to see is not just policy support for electrification, but also a stronger commitment to decarbonizing the generation that powers it. At the same time, public education matters. Just because a facility doesn鈥檛 have a visible smokestack doesn鈥檛 mean its energy use isn鈥檛 producing emissions somewhere else. A clearer understanding of that system-wide impact is critical to making meaningful progress.听
Daniela D鈥機osta:听If I could change one thing about the energy industry over the next decade, it would be accelerating pathways for women into high-impact, high-growth segments of the sector, particularly in grid modernization, AI integration, distributed energy resources, and capital deployment.听
The coming decade will define the future of the energy system, and women should be shaping it in real time, not entering the conversation after the foundation has already been laid.听
Expanding representation at every level, from technical operations to executive leadership, isn鈥檛 just about equity. It鈥檚 about strengthening the industry itself. A more inclusive energy transition will be more innovative, more resilient, and better reflect the communities it ultimately serves.听
ONE WORD THAT DESCRIBES THE FUTURE OF ENERGY:听
Jayamali听Kasige:听Decentralization.听
Daniela D鈥機osta:听Intelligent. Data-driven at its core.听