Smart Grid Proponents Form Certification, Testing Group
The HomePlug Alliance, the Wi-Fi Alliance, the HomeGrid Forum and the ZigBee Alliance teamed to form the new Consortium for SEP 2 Interoperability aimed at helping organizations whose technologies support communications over Internet Protocol (IP) to certify SEP 2 according to a consistent test plan.
And because it decided to be an open forum, the Consortium for SEP 2 Interoperability invites participation from other trade associations in communications technology that have an interest in developing an interoperable smart grid.?
The consortium’s joint certification and test program will be used to certify wireless and wired devices that support IP-based smart energy applications and such end-user devices as thermostats, appliances and gateways. It will address devices operating on one or more of a variety of underlying connectivity technologies and will help assure application and device interoperability for the smart energy ecosystem.
SEP 2 was selected in 2009 by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as a standard profile for smart energy management in home devices. The new consortium establishes a communications technology-agnostic forum to unify and accelerate the realization of interoperable SEP 2 products through a joint test and certification program. It says it intends to abide by the processes and best practices recommended by the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP) for smart grid testing and certification programs.? ?
"The smart grid will be comprised of all types of devices connecting in many different ways, and we must ensure those devices interoperate and communicate seamlessly, regardless of how they connect," notes Edgar Figueroa, CEO at the Wi-Fi Alliance. "This collaboration represents a groundbreaking step in the industry. Through this collaboration, the smart grid ecosystem will benefit from interoperable smart energy products that use some of today’s most popular connectivity technologies."?
Adds Matt Theall, president of the HomeGrid Forum, "HomeGrid Forum, which is responsible for certifying and promoting G.hn technology, is excited to be working with other leading industry organizations to help accelerate the adoption of the smart grid throughout the world.”?