A few weeks ago the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP) took steps toward a unified smart-grid framework by agreeing on a new set of standards and guidelines. The documents, “Guidelines for Assessing Wireless Communications for Smart Grid Applications” and “Meter Upgradeability Standard,” address the need for wireless communications among grid-connected devices and standards for the ability to upgrade household electricity meters as the grid evolves. This opens up a realm of possibilities. Imagine a home where a dishwasher starts to clean when energy rates are the cheapest, or adjusting the temperature in your house just by adjusting the thermostat with your Smartphone or laptop. Perhaps even creating a way to shut off sockets that have chargers attached to them at specific times to conserve energy. The technology to make this happen has been here for a while now, but a lack of standards, high costs, and an unclear value proposition has derailed smart homes and appliances from becoming a reality.
Now that standards have finally been agreed on, it appears the tide is changing. The smart grid would equip homes with a smart utility meter that communicates with home appliances and provides consumers with real time information about electricity usage and cost. The new standards could be the push needed to make “connected” homes a viable solution.
See the news release at http://m2mworldnews.com/2011/04/22/sgip-agrees-on-wireless-communication-standards/
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