During August 14 – 21, 2020 the California grid experienced Stage 3 emergency conditions which resulted in rolling blackouts across the state. These events uncover clear risks utilities assume when transitioning their portfolios to include more renewable power, especially in regions subject to extreme weather. Dispatchable capacity available on-demand at scale will be required in the transition to a decarbonized grid. This whitepaper discusses the events in California, how GridPoint leveraged its network of commercial buildings as a grid resource, and how demand response will play a pivotal role in the transition to a dynamic DER-driven grid of the 21st Century