Thursday, May 7, 2009

Interoperability - Key for Smart Grid

NIST to Receive $610 Million Through Recovery Act

"The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will receive $610 million in funds as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The agency will use the funds for programs that support U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness, key factors in spurring economic growth.

The Act provides $220 million in direct appropriations for NIST laboratory research, competitive grants, research fellowships, and advanced research and measurement equipment and supplies. ... Additional funding transferred to NIST from other federal agencies includes ... $10 million for collaborative efforts to develop a comprehensive framework for a nationwide, fully interoperable smart grid for the U.S. electric power system."

Click HERE for more details from NIST.

What is Interoperability? According to IEC 61850 it is the ability of two or more IEDs (Intelligent Electronic Devices) from the same or different vendors, to exchange information and use that information for correct execution of a specified function.Interoperability needs to be tested - just claiming that a device is conformant to a standard is not sufficient. STRI (Ludvika, Sweden) provides interoperability tests for IEC 61850 and IEC 61400-25 compliant devices.

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