MORGAN HILL, Calif., April 24, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The OpenADR Alliance, a nonprofit corporation created to foster the development, adoption and compliance of a Smart Grid standard known as Open Automated Demand Response (OpenADR), today announced the successful testing of the first servers and clients based on the OpenADR 2.0a profile standard. Using the new OpenADR Test Tool developed by QualityLogic, OpenADR members Akuacom, a unit of Honeywell; EnerNOC, IPKeys Technologies, and Universal Devices successfully tested their client and server devices, helping to further refine the standard and increase its ability to lower the cost, improve the reliability and accelerate the speed of automated demand response implementations for the smart grid.
The "Smart Grid" - digital networks connecting utilities, power-delivery systems and buildings - is designed to eliminate the overtaxing of the power grid. The OpenADR 2.0 technology is based on the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) and builds on the successful OpenADR 1.0 specification supported by more than 60 organizations worldwide. Through the OpenADR 2.0 standard, the OpenADR Alliance will provide utilities, Independent System Operators (ISOs), regulators, and controls suppliers with a selection of certified products for cost-effective demand response implementation.
"We hosted several PlugFests over the past six months to help members develop the first generation of interoperable products based on OpenADR 2.0," said Rolf Bienert, technical director of the OpenADR Alliance. "As we get closer to formal certification testing, we'll continue to see the smart grid come to life with big improvements in energy efficiency on the grid and in the energy users' homes and offices."
The process of finalizing the OpenADR standard involves the qualification of the initial implementations and the validation of the test harness. Both objectives were met using the now validated OpenADR 2.0a test tool. The test event involved three Virtual End Nodes (VENs or client implementations) and two Virtual Top Nodes (VTNs or server implementations). All products passed extensive testing from more than180 test cases. Upon release of the final test tool, Intertek – the official test service provider - will initiate certification testing using the validated test harness to run tests on candidate devices.
The test event was held in Knoxville, TN, coinciding with the Automated Demand Response and Ancillary Services Demonstration Project kickoff meeting hosted by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The utilities, ISOs and regulators participating in the EPRI event were able to get a preview of the first OpenADR 2.0a compliant products during the test event.
About the OpenADR Alliance
The OpenADR Alliance is fostering the development, adoption, and compliance of the Open Automated Demand Response (OpenADR) standard through collaboration, education, training, testing, and certification. The OpenADR Alliance intends to work with related organizations such as the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP), Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS), North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB), Utilities Communications Architecture International User's Group (UCAIug), Wi-Fi Alliance™, ZigBee Alliance™ and others as appropriate.
The OpenADR Alliance is open to all interested stakeholders sharing a common interest in facilitating and accelerating the use and adoption of the OpenADR standard for price- and reliability-based demand response. More information can be obtained at http://www.openadr.org/
The OpenADR Alliance logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=12567
CONTACT:Barry Haaser Managing Director OpenADR Alliance 408-310-9213 barry@openadr.org
