The Energy Services Network Association (ESNA), a not-for-profit association based in Utrecht, The Netherlands, has launched two initiatives dedicated to promoting interoperability and driving adoption of the Open Smart Grid Protocol (OSGP) as a standard for smart meters and smart grid devices.

OSGP is a family of specifications published by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and used in conjunction with the ISO/IEC (News - Alert) 14908 control networking standard for smart grid applications. OSGP is optimized to provide reliable and efficient delivery of command and control information for smart meters and other smart grid devices.

With more than 3.5 million OSGP based smart meters and devices deployed worldwide, it is one of the most widely used smart meter and smart grid device networking standards.

ESNA has partnered with Gurux of Tampere, Finland, a provider of device communications protocols for the smart grid, to enable utilities to access OSGP-based smart meters using the widely used DLMS (Device Language Message Specification)/COSEM (Companion Specification for Energy Metering) application data model using IEC 62056 parts 47, 53, 61 and 62.

According to ESNA, OSGP DLMS/COSEM interoperability enables utilities to choose a common data model for smart meters – while effectively reducing IT integration costs and enjoying the proven efficiency, reliability and scalability of OSGP at the device networking layer.

To further speed and promote the adoption of OSGP as an open standard, ESNA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability, a global consulting firm based in Arhem, The Netherlands that specializes in testing, inspections and certification, risk management and verification, along the energy value-chain.

Working with DNV KEMA, ESNA will offer OSGP conformance and interoperability test services. The establishment of this cooperation will provide vendors with third-party validation of their OSGP implementations that can complement their internal test efforts.

On October 8, ESNA will conduct a free OSGP workshop that will supply information about the Open Smart Grid Protocol and share ESNA’s vision with stakeholders involved in the modernization of existing power systems and the development of new smart grid applications. The workshop will focus on interoperability and information security, as well as such other considerations as the growing use of distributed resources, e-mobility and the application of distributed storage. 

To provide technical, product and partner information on OSGP, ESNA also has posted a new website.

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