Centrica has notched up another win in its Hive expansion strategy, signing a deal with Demand-Response (DR) startup OhmConnect to push discounted Hive devices to OhmConnect users. Having expanded from the UK, into the US, and Italy, Centrica is pitching the hardware as both a direct-to-consumer offering and as a way for utilities to lay the foundation for cost-reducing DR systems. OhmConnect is a free subscription service that essentially lets a home allow utilities to optimize the home’s energy usage in return for cash. Effectively Demand-Response as a Service, OhmConnect is taking the customer acquisition work off of the utility’s hand, but still providing the utility with the DR capabilities that allow a utility to more efficiently run its grid…