Smart grid standard adopted

Maxim’s adopted G3-PLC protocol has been approved by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) as a low-frequency, OFDM-based narrowband powerline communications (NB-PLC) standard.

In partnership with Electricité Réseau Distribution France (ERDF) and Sagemcom, the company developed the G3-PLC specification to promote open endedness and interoperability among smart grid implementations.

Currently, the G3-PLC is the only NB-PLC standard that supports the IPv6 internet protocol to allow new internet-based energy management systems. The specification also optimises bandwidth, corrects errors and provides a higher data rate that supports two-way communication for demand response and other smart grid applications.

Maxim and 11 other companies founded the G3-PLC Alliance last year to support the deployment of the G3-PLC protocol. Both the formation of the G3-PLC Alliance and the final NB-PLC standard approval from the ITU provide the standardisation and support that utilities need to begin deployments with the G3-PLC protocol.