ZigBee Alliance completes smart energy profile 2 standard

USA: The ZigBee Alliance, a global ecosystem of companies, creating wireless solutions for use in energy management, commercial and consumer applications, has completed development and ratified the Smart Energy Profile 2 (SEP 2) standard.

SEP 2 provides IP-based information and control for energy management in Home Area Networks (HANs), for both wired and wireless networks. SEP 2 supports new capabilities such as control of plug-in and hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) charging, deployments in multi-dwelling units such as apartment buildings, support for multiple energy service interfaces into a single premises and support for any transport based on IETF IP compliant protocols such as the recently announced ZigBee IP.

Work on SEP 2 was initiated in conjunction with the HomePlug Alliance and, over the course of its development, has included the active participation of many outside industry groups and stakeholders in addition to members of the ZigBee Alliance.

"This is the culmination of tremendous work by a dedicated group of world leading experts in the Smart Energy Working Group of the Alliance," said Tobin J.M. Richardson, chairman and CEO of the ZigBee Alliance. "Now that the standard is done, the Alliance and our partners are working hard to complete the test plans and tools necessary to certify SEP 2 products."

SEP 2 is supported by many stakeholders across the energy supply ecosystem, including manufacturers of smart meters, appliances, programmable thermostats and other devices in homes, utilities, energy service providers as well as various government and standards organizations around the world.

"The vision of the smart grid is to enable empowered consumers and a more stable, reliable and efficient energy supply," said Dr. George Arnold, director of Standards Coordination Office, The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). "The ratification of SEP 2 by the ZigBee Alliance represents a significant step in enabling that vision and the evolution of the 21st century smart grid."

"The collaborative work and tireless efforts of the working group have ensured a state of the art standard that meets the needs of a broad set of stakeholders leading to products and solutions that will benefit the consumers, industry and environment," said Robby Simpson, system architect, GE Digital Energy and chair of the SEP 2 Technical Working Group.