In an article on Green Tech Media, author Chet Geschickter addresses the battle for control of the home energy management network. ZigBee is a wireless communication standard devised by the utility industry to address Wi-Fi shortcomings, and embedded into tens of millions of smart meters connected to utilities via AMI communication networks. Wi-Fi is the de facto home wireless networking standard for homes with broadband internet access and Geschickter claims the two can live harmoniously together.
“Unfortunately, progress comes at a price. The indications are that Smart Energy Profile 2.0 is likely to be incompatible with 1.0 — and this spells trouble for utilities that have rolled out millions of smart meters with Smart Energy Profile 1.0 chips, since they face a potential stranded asset risk if they aspire to using the AMI channel to communicate with a potential coming wave of ZigBee 2.0 smart appliances and home energy management systems.”
