In this episode of The Energy Insider, host JackDoueck sits down with Brendan Manzie, CEO, and Jay Divakar, Head of Business Development at Kinergy (an Origin Energy company), for a sharp, forward-looking conversation on one of the most consequential shifts in global energy: the integration of flexibility into energy portfolio optimization and risk management as the new competitive edge.

From Origin Energy’s evolution in Australia to Kinergy’s emergence as a global platform, this discussion unpacks how energy companies can move beyond commoditized supply and into a higher-value, differentiated future.

At the center of that transformation is a powerful idea: retailers don’t need to own generation to behave like “Gentailers.”

Instead, they can orchestrate distributed energy resources, unlock flexibility, and build entirely new revenue streams—while strengthening customer relationships in the process.

Manzie and Divakar explain how Kinergy enables utilities and competitive suppliers to aggregate customer assets into Virtual Power Plants, turning flexibility into a scalable, monetizable advantage. The implications are significant: improved retention, deeper customer engagement, and access to value pools that many retailers have yet to fully capture.

The conversation goes beyond theory and into execution.What’s actually changing in competitive retail energy today—for both residential and C&I customers? Where are the real pressures, and where are the underappreciated opportunities?

And perhaps most critically: why is energy flexibility emerging as the defining battleground for retailers?

A major focus is Texas and ERCOT, where volatility, grid constraints, and market structure are accelerating the need for smarter, more dynamic solutions.

Through Kinergy’s partnership with Rhythm Energy, the episode explores how flexibility is already being deployed in-market—and where the true value lies. Is it customer savings? Wholesale arbitrage? Grid services? Or the convergence of all three?

This episode also challenges traditional thinking about the role of the retailer.

As DER orchestration and flexibility scale, retailers are no longer just suppliers of electrons—they become portfolio optimizers, risk managers, and customer experience leaders. The winners in this next phase of the industry will be those who can integrate these capabilities quickly and effectively.

For energy executives navigating margin pressure, customer churn, and an increasingly complex market landscape, this conversation offers both a wake-up call and a roadmap.

The question is no longer whether flexibility matters. It’s who will capture its value—and who will be left behind.