Around a hundred years ago, George Bernard Shaw quipped that England and America were two countries divided by a common language. Today there is a similar, very evident gulf growing between them in their attitude to smart metering standards. That gulf is increasingly becoming an ideological one, with the difference focussing on whether to take IP to the meter. It’s a difference of opinion that has little to do with those involved in metering or even the grid itself, but by others who want to impose their vision and their technologies upon its future.
The whole concept of bringing Internet Protocol to battery powered devices in this new era of the Internet of Things is not confined to smart metering – it’s a question that is being wrestled with by many standards groups who are trying to balance issues of accessibility, interoperability and power consumption. In general, the closer a product is to commercial deployment, the less sway the IP proponents have. But they have the US power industry in their sights.
I don’t believe that their arguments add up. If smart metering is to work it needs to look at the whole picture and make pragmatic decisions. The UK approach seems far more sensible, which may be why it’s making far better progress. In contrast, there’s a distinct feeling of banana skin about the IP advocates and their promotion of ZigBee Smart Energy Profile 2.0. As time goes on it looks like an approach that is having to conceal more and more inconvenient truths behind a veil of smoke and mirrors.