The ZigBee Alliance and the IPSO (IP for Smart Objects) Alliance have realized that together they could provide a united front to drive the adoption and use of wireless home area networks (HAN) that support smart energy initiatives.
Leveraging the ZigBee IP specification and the ZigBee Smart Energy 2.0 standard, the two alliances will collaborate and share best practices to expand HANs using IP technology. ZigBee Smart Energy already has found a sizable niche in the smart energy market with over 40 million smart electric meters installed globally by utilities. What's more, ZigBee Smart Energy 2.0 was included in the National Institute of Standards Technology's (NIST) Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards, Release 1.0.
Perhaps the bigger picture of this collaboration is that it will bring ZigBee and IPSO technology various smart energy devices, including not only utility meters installed on the side of homes, but also communicate with consumer devices found in a home such as thermostats, pool pumps, water heaters, appliances and plug-in electric card.
"Working with the IPSO Alliance will speed our development work on ZigBee Smart Energy," said Bob Heile, chairman of the ZigBee Alliance. "By using IP technology, ZigBee Smart Energy will give utilities more flexibility in future Smart Grid deployments."
For more:
- see the release here
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