Energy gateway

Digi International has introduced a smart energy product family, including what is claimed to be the industry’s first ZigBee smart energy-ready modules and certified energy service portal gateways built on these modules.

The ZigBee smart energy public profile defines how a collection of devices works cooperatively within a network, enabling utilities to intelligently manage energy loads, monitor energy use and optimise consumption.

The product family includes the XBee and XBee-PRO SE ZigBee modules and ConnectPort X2 ESP certified gateway. Built on the existing XBee and XBee-PRO ZB, the XBee and XBee-PRO SE modules feature firmware that simplifies the development work required to develop and certify an energy device.

The ConnectPort X2 ESP gateway provides the connection between a consumer’s home network and an energy service provider over a broadband or mobile connection.

The range also expands the company’s wireless M2M solutions bundle that features the hardware, hosted software and services necessary to quickly and easily integrate smart grid devices.

iDigi now includes smart energy-ready hardware as well as smart energy software support through the iDigi platform.

PRO ZB modules feature smart energy-ready firmware for supporting the implementation of each of the eight devices defined in the smart energy public application profile. These include ESPs, metering devices, in-premise display devices, programmable communicating thermostats, load controllers, range extenders, smart appliances and prepayment terminals. Developers making these devices can now use smart energy products and iDigi Energy bundle to reduce the development and certification time, and overall expertise required, to produce a ZigBee smart energy product.

PRO ZB ZigBee modules handle networking, joining, authentication and key establishment functions and provide simple network and module configuration via the XBee application programming interface. Customers can also upgrade their existing XBee and XBee-PRO ZB modules with Smart Energy firmware free of charge.