Smart grid utility network companies set up Wi-SUN Alliance

analog-devices

Smart grid utility network companies set up Wi-SUN Alliance

Greentech Lead America: A group of companies involved in
smart utility network products has set up Wireless Smart Utility Network
(Wi-SUN) Alliance to support certification and promotion of an interconnect
standard for wireless smart grid devices.

The Wi-SUN Alliance will establish a system to certify
the connectivity and interoperability of devices in the global Smart Utility
Network. The alliance aims to establish test specifications by the summer of
2012.

Wi-SUN Alliance’s founding members include Analog
Devices, Fuji Electric, Murata Manufacturing, Japan’s National Institute of
Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Omron, Osaki Electric, Renesas
Electronics and Silver Spring Networks.

The Wi-SUN Alliance is supporting the IEEE 802.15.4g
standard for wireless communications of battery-powered equipment, and its
supported MAC layer protocol, as a means to ensure the compatibility of
low-power smart meters and remote wireless sensor networks. Similar in nature
to other industry alliances, the Wi-SUN Alliance is committed to establishing
common standards for the global smart grid build-out.

“World-class companies are coming together to define
common technology, certification, and promotion programs which will provide a
true global standard for wireless Smart Utility Network expansion and the
interoperability of devices,” said Wi-SUN Alliance Founder co-Chairs,
Hiroshi Harada, director, Smart Wireless Laboratory, NICT and Raj Vaswani,
chief technology officer, Silver Spring Networks

“This complements our technology development
activities as well as our involvement in the IEEE 802.15.4g standards
committee. The Wi-SUN Alliance enables the smart meter industry to have, for
the first time, the means to ensure standards compliance and interoperability
to facilitate the rapid adoption of smart meter technology,” said Ronn
Kliger, director, Energy Segment, Analog Devices.

“The Wi-SUN alliance is expected to provide
world-class and globally certificated wireless devices for smart metering not
only to Japan but also worldwide,” said Shinichi Souma, General Manager,
Measurement Technology Development Center, Fuji Electronic.

“The Wi-SUN Alliance enables to reduce the burden of
interoperability tests among suppliers of wireless module and provides high
quality modules to the market stably,” said, Ikuo Fukuzaki, general
manager, Osaki Electronic.

The Wi-SUN Alliance’s founding members appointed Phil
Beecher, who is Chair of the IEEE 802.15.4g Task Group, as Chair of the
Alliance.

[email protected]