Z-Wave Takes Position For US Leading Role

www.smartmeters.com
03 June 2009

The Z-Wave Alliance, a consortium of more than one hundred manufacturers who are building products conforming to the Z-Wave standard, is gaining share in the developing global smart meter market. European manufacturers have acknowledged the enormous potential of the Z-Wave Advanced Energy Control (AEC) Framework and are using it as a platform to develop robust smart metering solutions.

The Z-Wave protocol was primarily developed by the Danish company Zensys in cooperation with the Z-Wave Alliance and can be found in a wide variety of home control and smart metering products including more than 300 that are currently available on the market. Z-Wave's Advanced Energy Control (AEC) framework integrates home controls with smart metering, automated load shedding, and communications with the consumer to allow for energy management in real-time.

Manufacturers that develop along the AEC framework can design products that allow utility companies to introduce energy conservation programs, lower operations costs, and give consumers vision into how their appliances are using electricity.

Developments based upon the AEC Framework in Europe include:

• A series of smart meters from British manufacturer Horstmann designed specifically for the European market that allows electricity and gas consumers to monitor and manage their consumption
• Plans from Danish firm Kamstrup to integrate Z-Wave into its smart meter system solution in mid-2009 to allow for connectivity with smart energy displays, home control centres, and utility companies
• Danish utility Modstrøem which uses Z-Wave to provide "active assistance" t its customers to enhance energy conservation efforts

"As the building of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure in the U.S, accelerates with the availability of federal stimulus funds, Z-Wave is well positioned to play a leading role given its success overseas," said Bill Ablondi, director of Home Systems research with Parks Associates.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), along with the Department of Commerce (DOC) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are currently developing broad sets of standards for smart grid development. The Z-Wave Alliance would certainly like to be adapted as an American standard and broad acceptance in Europe certainly forwards that cause.

Z-Wave has made inroads into the American market with the Schlage LiNK product available at Lowe's hardware stores nationwide. The system allows homeowners to monitor and control door locks, lights, smart thermostats, and Schlage cameras all from a single Web interface. A number of new Z-Wave-based products are expected to debut in America very soon.

"With the Obama administration calling for massive investment in and stimulus funding for energy saving technologies, smart meters are becoming more than a buzz word and Z-Wave's success in the European smart meter market with the likes of Modstrøem, Horstmann and Kamstrup gives it a significant competitive advantage as energy conservation and management takes centre stage in the U.S.," said Ken Low, EVP Strategy at Sigma Designs.