Smart Grid Standards and Systems Interoperability: A Precedent with OpenADR

This paper describes the Smart Grid standards and systems interoperability through Open Automated Demand Response Standard (OpenADR) conformance development process. The process aligns closely with the national and GridWise® Architecture Council’s recommendations for interoperability. This paper looks at the standards development, and certification and testing process through the activities of standards organizations, user-groups, industry alliances, and Smart Grid development. It references the Conformance and Interoperability Process Reference Manuals and requirements of the standards organizations for certification and interoperability of OpenADR standard to address consumers and stakeholder needs. The evaluation framework for OpenADR interoperability is characterized through the data transport mechanisms, harmonization and co-existence with other standards and systems, and Smart Grid interoperability across different markets. The result is the interoperable information exchange among Smart Grid standards and technology implementations within the national and international standards activities; primarily the interoperability and backward compatibility needs within the California commercial deployments. This process offers significant value to consumers and builds trust in the system. The service providers and vendors can provide cost-effective solutions, which reduce the implementation costs and improve the operational efficiency of DR programs and automation.