While I’m currently working on a ZigBee Smart Energy device running on Microsoft .NET Micro Framework 4.0 (beta) I have started a new blog writing about news concerning Smart Energy (Smart Grid) around the world: http://smartenergy-news.blogspot.com/
For those of you not familiar with or never heard about ZigBee Smart Energy, here is a short statement from ZigBee Alliance’s web site:
ZigBee Smart Energy offers utilities and energy service providers secure, easy-to-use wireless home area networks (HAN) for managing energy. Smart Energy gives these groups and their customers the power to directly communicate with thermostats and other smart appliances.
New advanced metering and demand response programs can be implemented in homes easily and securely because of ZigBee wireless technology. Now utilities and energy service providers can easily implement energy management and efficiency programs to meet changing government requirements.
There area a growing number of products certified by the Alliance for ZigBee Smart Energy. These products represent every type of device needed to implement a robust home area network using ZigBee Smart Energy.
The ZigBee modules I’m using are from Digi International – a simple firmware upgrade and you can start implementing the new Smart Energy profile.