Opening Smart Grids To The World

Echelon Corporation has announced that it has partnered with the Energy Services Network Association (ESNA), a non-profit corporation composed of utilities, manufacturers, and integrators, to publish and standardize the Open Smart Grid Protocol (OSGP) as a European and International standard.  OSGP is the protocol used by Echelon's Networked Energy Services (NES) System, a market leading smart grid infrastructure. By publishing OSGP as an open standard, it will enable independent implementation of interoperable meters and other smart grid devices from multiple vendors on the same network. This gives electric utilities the ability to buy "best of breed" products and to avoid vendor lock-in that increases costs and reduces innovation.  More than just a protocol for smart meters, OSGP provides secure, scalable control networking services for any device connected to the low voltage power grid, as well as critical information about the health of the distribution line itself, which further improves reliability and lowers operating costs. The announcement was made today at the Metering Europe event in Vienna, Austria.

"The Open Smart Grid Protocol has become a de facto standard for smart meters and smart grid infrastructure communications with more than three million meters already installed or with orders to be installed over the next few years," said Gordon Pedersen, President of ESNA and head of smart grid projects at SEAS-NVE, the largest consumer-owned utility in Denmark. "Working with Echelon, our members, and other industry partners, we look forward to formalizing and publishing OSGP as a European and international standard for smart grid communications to benefit utilities, their customers, and suppliers." 

"We are very pleased to join with Echelon in promoting the Open Smart Grid Protocol as a European and International standard" said Babu Babel, CEO Energy Secure Meters.  "OSGP already has a very strong position in the market as a de facto standard delivering reliable systems at scale for utilities.  We are excited about the opportunities that OSGP brings to us and our customers."

Built on open ISO/IEC and IEEE standards, OSGP adds additional security and reliability services necessary to properly network and manage devices in the smart grid. With millions of devices deployed worldwide, OSGP brings field-proven reliability and scalability to the smart grid. 

"As the Internet has clearly demonstrated, open standards are the key to building large, vibrant markets, which benefit suppliers and end users alike," said Bob Dolin, Echelon's chief technical officer.  "Echelon has long followed a path of adopting open standards where appropriate ones exist, and working to create open standards where there are gaps. The market is demanding openness at all layers and for all devices, not just meters.  OSGP provides needed control networking services for smart grid devices and creates an open playing field for innovation that is absent in the market today."