Smart Grid Interoperability Panel
August 4, 2011
The Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP), a consensus-based group of more than 675 public and private organizations was created by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to coordinate the development of Smart Grid standards.
The SGIP’s new Catalog of Standards, a technical document that is used as a guide for all involved with Smart Grid-related technology has its first six entries.
The six standards, which were approved previously by the SGIP's Governing Board, received approval by more than 90% of the broader SGIP membership. While the SGIP does not develop or write these standards directly, a vote of approval signifies that its member organizations have agreed on the inclusion of a group of standards in the catalog.
The Catalog of Standards will be a useful toolkit for anyone involved in the Smart Grid. While it will be of interest to regulators, it will primarily be important as a knowledge base for the entire grid community. It will eventually contain hundreds of consensus documents.
The six entries relate to high-priority national standards needed to create a modern, energy-efficient power grid with seamlessly interoperable components.
In order to convert today's power grid into a power distribution network that can enable the wide use of electric vehicles, as well as incorporate renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, a number of new standards must be established. Among these are the catalog's first six entries, which include:
- internet protocol standards, which will allow grid devices to exchange information;
- energy usage information standards, which will permit consumers to know the cost of energy used at a given time;
- standards for vehicle charging stations, necessary for ensuring electric vehicles can be connected to power outlets;
- use cases for communication between plug-in vehicles and the grid, to help ensure that the vehicles will not place undue strain on the grid;
- requirements for upgrading smart meters, which will replace household electric meters; and
- guidelines for assessing standards for wireless communication devices, which will be needed for grid communication.
The six catalog entries cover five of the 19 Priority Action Plans named by grid experts as those issues most necessary to address early for the Smart Grid to function properly.
The Catalog is available at: SGIP Catalog of Standards Information Library
