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By Chris King

Last week the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) published the draft Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards Release 2.0 and is now accepting comments.

What are these smart grid standards about? Why do they matter? How can interoperability help?

Don't get scared away

Here are the key points I make in the policy context:

·         Standards are a journey, not a process. New standards are introduced into the market all the time. There is no “end point.” Smart grid standards get adopted as they become available — and as utilities and other companies decide it is sensible to use them.

·         Standards are an opportunity, not a requirement. Independent organizations such as IEEE and IEC develop standards. Governments often recognize standards, but only rarely mandate adoption of specific ones.

Standards as a toolkit

NIST publishes a smart grid standards catalog. George Arnold, NIST’s National Coordinator for Smart Grid Interoperability, explains: “Entries in the Catalog of Standards constitute the first items in what will be a useful toolkit for anyone involved in the Smart Grid — whether they are utilities that generate and distribute power, companies developing new electronic devices, or consumers who buy and use them.”

In another good example of standards best practice, the Public Utility Commissions of California and Texas have ordered utilities in those states to use an open standard for the home area network (HAN) interface on their smart meters. In both cases, they declined to specify which standard.

It's all about interoperability

Interoperability is the most important standards goal. Interoperability is what made the Internet possible — not to mention huge leaps and bounds in the functionality of almost every kind of electronics.

For the smart grid, interoperability spurs two important kinds of competition that ultimately benefit consumers, utilities, and the smart grid ecosystem:

1.     Competition in available products. When devices from different manufacturers and vendors can talk to devices from other manufacturers and vendors, those manufacturers and vendors must compete.

2.     Competition among service providers. Interoperability allows data to be exchanged between multiple parties.

In both cases, interfaces use a published, open interface — usually without paying royalties to use the standard.