Dive Summary:

• CSEP will test for the interoperability of a variety of wired or wireless devices, an effort that will provide the smart grid ecosystem with confidence it hasn’t had previously.
• The consortium’s tests will also accelerate the availability of products and services, with the certification of products such as thermostats, electric meters, and gateways expected as a result of CSEP’s work.
• Recently, the first interoperability “Plugfest” was successfully completed, testing the interoperability of products built using assorted communications.

From the article:

The Consortium for Smart Energy Profile 2 Interoperability announced its formal incorporation, with founding members HomePlug(R) Alliance, Wi-Fi Alliance(R) and ZigBee(R) Alliance continuing a clear path to SEP 2 interoperability for consumer benefits in the smart grid market.

Launched in October 2011, the Consortium will create and maintain a certification test suite to validate interoperability for a variety of wired or wireless devices. This will provide the Smart Grid ecosystem - including utilities, service providers, product vendors and consumers - confidence in application and device interoperability while accelerating the availability of products and services. Products to be certified as a result of the Consortium's work are expected to include thermostats, appliances, electric meters, gateways, electric vehicles and countless other devices in the Smart Grid. ...