ZigBee sees strong growth for energy management solutions

The ZigBee Alliance, a global organization of companies creating wireless solutions for use in energy, residential, commercial and industrial applications, has increased membership and expanded its ability to deliver solutions that are helping consumers, businesses and utilities improve efficiency, reduce the need for new power plants and save money.

By Control Engineering Staff May 17, 2007

San Ramon, CA — The ZigBee Alliance , a global organization of companies creating wireless solutions for use in energy, residential, commercial and industrial applications, has increased membership and expanded its ability to deliver solutions that are helping consumers, businesses and utilities improve efficiency, reduce the need for new power plants and save money. Some of the world’s leading energy companies, ranging from utilities to suppliers have recently joined the Alliance and are relying on ZigBee solutions. Utilities such as CenterPoint Energy , Southern California Edison and Sempra Utilities are working alongside other member companies to use existing low-cost and easily installable ZigBee products and services.

“The ZigBee standard provides a crucial link to make our advanced metering infrastructure upgrade an even more robust reality,” said Tom Standish, CenterPoint Energy group president, Regulated Operations. “Our AMI program enhances the efficiency and reliability of our operations and, through the use of ZigBee enabled equipment in the home, ultimately gives consumers more ways to manage and use energy in a more cost-effective and energy-efficient way.”

The ZigBee Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Profile will take advantage of other ZigBee application profiles for home and commercial building automation products, filling a critical gap and integrating Home Area Networks (HAN), or in-premise networks, to smart energy grids.

Many countries and U.S. states are considering legislation to provide incentives and encourage the deployment of AMI to offset the predicted energy crunch, avoid building new power plants and help slow global carbon emissions. Utility companies are expected to deploy new smart meters in approximately 30 million homes over the next few years. Southern California Edison selected ZigBee as the standard in its HAN technology for its five million smart meter upgrade program.

— Control Engineering Daily News Desk C.G. Masi , senior editor