The ZigBee® Alliance, a global ecosystem of companies creating wireless solutions supporting energy management in residential, commercial and consumer electronics applications, has announced its intention to expand its participation in the European Union's various standardization efforts. The Alliance will focus on the European Union's Smart Grid programs and on meeting the needs of the EU implementation of ZigBee Smart Energy in the Home Area Network (HAN). To accomplish these objectives, and support a thriving membership base, the Alliance will establish a European headquarters (HQ).
The European HQ will be tasked with ensuring that ZigBee standards meet the needs of the European standards organizations. It will also enable these participating organizations to more effectively understand, and respond to, the changing needs of the EU market.
The ZigBee Alliance has agreements with the European Smart Metering Industry Group (ESMIG) and Device Language Message Specification (DLMS) User Association focused on this effort. The Alliance's European HQ will also support European standards organizations in their work to develop plans to create market-ready solutions and the evolving EU M441 mandate.
"ZigBee has enjoyed widespread European support since its inception and expanding our efforts there will allow us to be more available to European standards organizations as they plan for the future," said Bob Heile, Chairman of the ZigBee Alliance. "We believe that deeper and broader collaboration will allow ZigBee Smart Energy to emerge as the best wireless HAN choice for European Smart Grid standardization."