ABB and Trilliant Incorporated reportedly announced the successful interoperability of Trilliant’s (News - Alert) SecureMesh communications network with ABB’s Station Automation and Protection products, which helps utilities to choose suitable technologies for their "Smart Grid" solutions.

 

Officials claimed the demonstration is an indicator of the increasing capability within the Smart Grid market and the power of standards-based technology solutions available today.

 

Trilliant’s SecureMesh communications network is based on open standards to ensure innovative interoperability with third-party distribution automation equipment. The network infrastructure supports applications ranging from electric meter data collection to low-latency monitoring and control of distribution automation devices, including a wide variety of Station Automation and Protection products from ABB.

 

“The Smart Grid is moving into a phase where distribution automation is becoming critical, and this capability is largely dependent on the reliability of high-bandwidth, low-latency solutions,” said Gary Rackliffe, vice president of Smart Grids for ABB. “For this reason, we are particularly excited to be working with Trilliant to integrate our solutions and help deliver them to a growing market.”

 

A recent report claimed that American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 has allotted $11 billion -- of a total $63 billion toward energy -- for smart grid initiatives until the end of 2010. Public, private and consumer factors are all driving this growth.

 

 A “Smart Grid” has Internet connectivity so that signals can be sent and received for each and every connected and authorized device.

 

The Department of Energy recently decreed that Smart Grids must facilitate the following processes: self-healing from power disturbance events; enabling active participation by consumers in demand response; operating resiliently against physical and cyber attack; providing power quality for 21st century needs; accommodating all generation and storage options; enabling new products, services, and markets; and optimizing assets and operating efficiently.

 

“The successful deployment of Smart Grid networks around the world requires cooperation, innovation, and shared best practices,” said Andy White, president and chief executive officer of Trilliant. “The demonstrated interoperability of Trilliant’s SecureMesh network with ABB’s automation products is another significant proof point in the maturation of the Smart Grid.”