Coordinated efforts aim toward global principles.
Dr. W. Charlton “Chuck” Adams Jr., is president of the IEEE Standards Association.
One of the smart grid’s key transformations is the unification of the historically fragmented utility industry, and the future integration with other industries that will partner with the utility industry in the deployment of the smart grid over the next decade. Utilities around the globe will be more closely aligned with, and reliant on, one another, and standards are transitioning to support that fundamental shift within this industry environment.
What’s the state of the smart grid standards effort? Some standards in place today will undergird the smart grid’s progress. Some are in need of refinement. In other areas, gaps are revealing themselves where altogether new standards will need to be developed. A coordinated, sweeping standards effort is gathering across industry and national boundaries, and it will lead to more useful and cost-effective technologies—and, ultimately, a more intelligent and reliable system of electricity delivery.
Importance of Standards
Standards are critical to realizing the smart grid vision—a next-generation, managed infrastructure that powers daily life in a cleaner, more reliable and more affordable way.