Six standards have been approved for the Catalog of Standards, a guide for all involved with Smart Grid-related technology.  The six standards were apporved by the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP), which was set up by NIST to drive a consensus-based standards recommendation process for the smart grid.  In February, 2010 NIST released the Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards 1.0.  NIST sees an urgent need to establish standards for the smart grid because without standards, there is the potential for technologies developed or implemented with sizable public and private investments to become obsolete prematurely or to be implemented without ensuring security. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) designated development of a Smart Grid as a national policy goal and specifically said that the interoperability framework should be “flexible, uniform, and technology neutral” while at the same time encouraging new, innovative smart grid technologies. Earlier this month FERC decided against mandating these standards for US electric power utilities, so these standards are recommended, not mandatory.

The first six entries in the Catalog of Standards 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–which will draw heavy power loads–will not place undue strain on the grid;
• requirements for upgrading smart meters, which will replace household electric meters;
• guidelines for assessing standards for wireless communication devices, which will be needed for grid communication

These six entries cover SGIP’s Priority Action Plans (PAPs) 0, 1, 2, 10 and 11.

Internet protocol standards, which will allow grid devices to exchange information

The Internet Protocol Suite for Smart Grid, identifies the core set of Internet protocols—more than 150 individual protocols related to system operations, routing of communication signals and cybersecurity—necessary for devices connected to the grid to exchange information. The new networks built using these standards will allow the many, diverse elements of the Smart Grid—from electrical transmission networks and generation systems down to the small household appliances that they will power—to exchange information reliably and securely.

Energy usage information standards

This standard deals with the vocabulary that will be used by devices and services and will help consumers take control of their energy usage by providing real-time communication between utilities and consumers about power availability and cost.

Standards for plugs used to charge electric vehicles

This standard describes the physical connector used to plug in an electric vehicle, and it specifies such details as the dimensions, functions and configurations of the vehicle inlet and mating conductor.

Use cases for communication between plug-in vehicles and the grid

This standard describes the electronic information the vehicle will exchange with the grid during the charging process including, the identity of the specific vehicle and owner, the location of the charging station, the amount of electricity used and the price of the electricity at different times of day.

Requirements for upgrading smart meters, which will replace household electric meters

The meter upgradeability standard is designed to make sure that the new generation of smart electricity meters does not become obsolete by ensuring that these metering devices can be upgraded remotely and reliably, similar to the way a computer can receive software updates via its Internet connection.

Guidelines for assessing standards for wireless communication devices such as cell phones

This standard is an initial guide to the key tools and methods that Smart Grid system designers and developers can use to evaluate and make informed decisions about existing and emerging wireless standards and associated technologies. Because of the special requirements of grid devices—such as far less tolerance of delays between transmission and reception or interruption of signals among grid devices—this standard will help vendors and standard-setting organizations become aware of the desired features for a grid-worthy wireless technology.