Google and Tesla believe we are completely mismanaging our power grid.

Google, Tesla and data center developer Verrus are among the companies that say the power grid is underutilized and they want everyone, especially politicians, to know about it.

Together with HVAC giant Carrier, virtual power plant company Renew Home, distributed energy resource developer Sparkfund, and smart electric panel startup Span, the three companies have formed a new group called Utilize to get that message out. The group, which launched Tuesday, is advocating for changes in the way the grid is built and used. The group correctly points out that the grid is designed to accommodate temporary surges in high demand. In most cases, there is a lot of unused capacity.

I think the usage needs to change. The group argues that smarter ways to use that capacity already exist. Utilize name check for various newly emerging solutions such as battery storage, demand response, and virtual power plant many Although it has been underutilized over the past decade, it is still underutilized. (Ah, that’s where the name comes from.)

In many cases, these new technologies are being used to improve the resiliency of the grid. Consider, for example, Texas’ power grid, which performed better during the recent cold spell after the state increased its battery storage capacity. Still, many regulators and politicians are wary of these new technologies and have decided instead to stick with familiar options like centralized fossil fuel power plants.

Utilize said it would “advocate for policies” that would encourage wider adoption of new technologies and also benefit those involved.

Each member occupies a niche part of the grid. On the sales side, Tesla sells batteries and solar panels, Span sells electrical panels that can respond to load changes, Carrier makes heat pumps, and Sparkfund and Renew Home build and aggregate distributed energy resources. On the purchasing side, Google and Verrus require massive amounts of power to keep their servers running.

The organization calls itself the “Union,” which is pretty squishy language. Utilize has already boasted one legislative victory, saying “some members of Utilize” supported a Virginia bill that would require utilities to quantify and disclose how they use the grid.

This phrase suggests that while Utilize may push for policy change, it is not engaged in direct lobbying, at least not yet. TechCrunch did not receive a response to inquiries sent to Utilize and the Commonwealth of Virginia regarding the organization’s lobbyist status.

Advocacy groups are no strangers to the utility industry, but the combination of new technologies combined with buy-side and sell-side companies makes Utilize something different. Changing the way the grid is regulated is a long game, but if we don’t start now, it will be too late.