The Obama Administration focus on modernizing our energy infrastructure and ARRA stimulus funding (FOA58) has opened a floodgate of new funding opportunities to realizing a smart grid. But what about the policy and standards side of the equation? And what can we learn from our colleagues from the other side of the pond in Europe?  

Beyond capital needs, members of the KEMA Utility of the Future Executive Conference “Regulatory and Policy” panel voiced that both a Smart Grid policy statement from the various entities to govern the technology as well as standards are needed to move head into a ‘smarter’ energy future.

While the industry cannot move forward with a patchwork of numerous, conflicting and non-interoperable standards, in the US, standards are often seen as hindering innovation. So standards should focus on the main interoperability issues as opposed to the specific aspects of operation within a given utility territory.

In the EU, a unified effort for AMI standardization – known as the EU OPEN Meter Project – is underway. This effort offers insights into addressing Smart Grid inter-op standardization issues here in the US.

The July 2009 issue of KEMA’s monthly newsletter, Automation Insight, takes a look at the EU Open Meter Project, what it has accomplished to date and where it’s headed. Read the full article at www.kema.com/automation_insight.