Smart Grid Panel Agrees on Data-Exchange Standards for Electricity Usage

The governing board of the public-private Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP) has voted in favor of a new standard important for two-way data communications between utilities and their customers, bringing the next-generation “smart” electrical power grid a step closer to reality.

The board’s vote concerns a foundational standard for the information used to communicate between utilities and the customer, and the way in which that information is organized.

This new “energy usage data model” standard was achieved through completion of Priority Action Plan 10, one of 17 Priority Action Plans (PAPs) established within the SGIP to address critical standards needs in order to realize an energy-efficient, modern power grid with seamlessly interoperable parts. The data standard was developed by the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) at the request of the SGIP and the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and will allow utilities and customers to exchange detailed information about electricity usage in a consistent format. This will enable consumers to track their electricity usage and help them better manage their energy consumption and costs. Developed through NAESB’s American National Standards Institute-accredited process, the model is a ratified NAESB standard and will be included in NAESB’s filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission next month.

The recommended standard is also expected to create opportunities for innovation. With utilities now installing “smart” electric meters in millions of homes and business, established companies and start-ups are developing new products and services tailored to the energy-use behaviors and objectives of consumers. Smart-meter technology will enable real-time (or near real-time) communication of energy use, consumption, quality and source, among other information. The standard is "Internet-friendly," and its applications will include enabling customers to view and understand their energy usage and cost using local access devices and over the Internet.