Oveview: Scope, Purpose and Access

Scope

This standard addresses the interconnection, control and management of power sources, power storage and power consumers (loads). The top level architecture is independent of the interconnect but the standard focuses on interconnects based on DC power. The standard addresses the messaging in the form of layered network protocols used allocate power and manage connected devices. It also defines the electrical and physical connections between devices, harmonizing with existing standards when practical. It supports multiple forms of physical interconnect by placing additional requirements on existing interfaces and by defining some new forms of physical interfaces that are not defined by other standards.

In addition to specifying the interfaces of conforming devices, the standard also includes functional tests that conforming devices must pass. Devices shall declare themselves as performing one or more roles in the grid such as power sources or power consumers and shall designate the use of one or more of interfaces defined in the standard. Conforming to the standard shall mean that the device passes all functional tests specified by the standard for the roles that the device claims to perform using the interfaces supported by the device.

Purpose

The intent of the standard is to allow power system device manufacturers and appliance manufacturers to build devices that can be reliably interconnected to a microgrid of compatible devices. This standard is particularly focused on low-cost devices intended to operate in situations where regular AC power is unavailable or unreliable. Establishing a market of compatible devices increases consumer choice, reduces prices and allows consumers to extend and reuse products without being locked into proprietary interfaces and protocols.

At the same time, the standard recognizes that some business models may require resellers to maintain more control over their devices that is typical with AC appliances. The standard includes mechanisms for resellers to maintain control but does not require their use and defines mechanisms for the reseller to unlock the control when needed.

Access

Unlike many standards, this standard is intended to be freely accessible to anyone and can be used without payment. It has been created in the spirit of open source and creative commons by people who believe that technology should serve everyone and that proprietary restraints on ideas often impede rather than enhance progress.

To help customers have confidence that the devices they purchase are actually conform to the standard, the organization that created this standard may launch a trademark associated with the standard and license manufacturers, for a fee, to use that trademark on their products provided they can prove conformance. This does not preclude any manufacturer from using the content of the standard for any purpose. The only restriction is that they cannot label their products with the trademark unless they meet the requirements associated with the trademark.