US smart grid moves a step closer

clipped from www.energyefficiencynews.com Plans for a US smart grid moved a step closer with the announcement by Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Energy Secretary Steven Chu of the first set of standards required for its interoperability and security. The announcement came after the first Smart Grid Interoperability Standards Interim Roadmap meeting late last month, which reached a consensus on the inclusion of 16 existing interoperability standards. The standards, which cover areas ranging from smart meters for customers to distributed power generation components, will help make sure that software and hardware components from different suppliers will work together and maintain the security of the grid. “President Obama has made a smart electrical grid a key element of his plan to lower energy costs for consumers, achieve energy independence and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Locke. “Today, we took a significant step toward developing the standards necessary to realize the Smart Grid vision.”