Uplight Launches Software Development Kit to Accelerate DER Integration at Scale

Kafka-based DERMS empowers OEMs to integrate directly and securely, accelerating time-to-value for utilities and partners

/EIN News/ -- BOULDER, Colo., May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Uplight, a clean energy technology company that unlocks grid capacity by activating customers and their connected devices to generate, shift and save energy, today announced the launch of a new Apache Kafka-based software development kit (SDK) to enable faster and more scalable integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) into utility demand-side flexibility programs.

The SDK kit was launched in partnership with distributed energy resource (DER) integration platform, Derapi, first integrating residential battery systems from leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) FranklinWH and Enphase Energy. With the SDK technology, Uplight's 80+ utility clients can now leverage FranklinWH and Enphase's residential battery systems in a demand response and virtual power plant programs.

The technology represents a significant step forward for the energy ecosystem and a more scalable alternative to traditional integration models which rely solely on synchronous APIs that can create bottlenecks or require extensive customization. Uplight’s SDKs provide a secure, asynchronous and multi-tenant interface that allows device manufacturers and integrators to connect technologies directly to Uplight’s distributed energy resource management system (DERMS). Whether partners use open standards or proprietary APIs, the SDK provides a faster, more inclusive path to participation. Importantly, Uplight’s utility clients also benefit from streamlined access to new DERs without having to integrate them directly.

“Interoperability bottlenecks have long hindered the potential of distributed energy resources to be utilized as reliable grid resources,” said Jesse Demmel, Chief Technology Officer at Uplight. “We built our SDK on Apache Kafka to solve that challenge at scale — enabling communication with hundreds of thousands of devices, while keeping our DERMS isolated from third-party code. This allows OEMs to develop high-performance connectors on their own timelines, while our utility clients benefit from the ability to leverage new and growing DER asset classes within our comprehensive Flexibility Management solutions.”

The architecture maintains the integrity and security of Uplight’s systems while offering new OEM and DER integration platform partners a path to monetize device flexibility through dispatch, telemetry, and enrollment in utility programs. Early results show SDK-enabled integrations can reduce DER onboarding timelines 25-40% compared to traditional methods, allowing OEMs to monetize faster and utilities to bring more devices online with less overhead. The launch of the SDK expands Uplight’s robust suite of DER interfaces, which include support for OpenADR, multiple SCADA protocols, and, coming soon, IEEE 2030.5.

"Partnering with Uplight reflects our shared vision of advancing scalable, secure demand-side flexibility,” said Stina Brock, Chief Executive Officer of Derapi. “Uplight’s Apache Kafka-based architecture allows Derapi to efficiently and reliably integrate utility-scale streams of device telemetry and control messages. Collaborating with Uplight enables Derapi to advance our mission of accelerating DER integration by deploying high-performance APIs that connect more OEMs to demand-side flexibility programs.”

“The ability to integrate with Uplight’s SDK through Derapi significantly accelerates how quickly FranklinWH systems can participate in utility programs,” said Ke Bi, Chief Operating Officer at FranklinWH. “This collaboration will enable seamless enrollment, reliable two-way communication and unlock new value streams for our customers, whether they’re supporting local grid stability or being compensated for flexible capacity.”

As utilities continue to scale demand-side flexibility devices, programs, and technologies, integrating new and diverse devices quickly and securely has become a critical requirement. Uplight’s SDK meets this need with a modern, partner-driven approach that accelerates time-to-value for OEMs and expands the grid-enabled device ecosystem for utilities. Building on this momentum, Uplight is already working with an integrator partner to connect multiple additional battery OEMs through the SDK, further broadening the portfolio of DERs available to utilities.

To learn more about Uplight’s solutions, visit: https://uplight.com/.

About Uplight

Uplight is a clean energy technology company that unlocks grid capacity by activating customers and their connected devices to generate, shift, and save energy. Uplight enables sustainable load growth by combining personalized customer experiences with open, flexible load management through the Uplight Demand Stack: integrating energy efficiency, electrification, rates, and flexibility programs to improve grid resilience, reduce costs, and accelerate decarbonization for both energy providers and their customers.

Uplight serves over 80 energy providers, including 8 of the 10 largest North American utilities, and is a certified B-Corporation whose purpose is to create a more sustainable future using business as a force for good. To learn more about Uplight, visit https://uplight.com/.

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Uplight
Liam Sullivan
Uplight@V2comms.com