The inaugural meeting of the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP), a new stakeholder forum to provide technical support to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as it coordinates standards for a modernized electric power system, concluded with the election of 20 members to its governing board.
Established by NIST with the assistance of EnerNex, under a contact enabled by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the new consensus-driven organization provides an open process for businesses and other stakeholder groups to participate in coordinating and accelerating the development of standards for the evolving Smart Grid.
Starting with an initial membership of more than of 370 organizations spread among 22 stakeholder categories, the SGIP has three primary functions:
- Provide technical guidance to facilitate the development of standards for a secure, interoperable Smart Grid
- Specify testing and certification requirements necessary to assess the interoperability Smart Grid-related equipment, software, and services
- Oversee the performance of activities intended to expedite the development of interoperability and cyber security specifications by standards development organizations.
Members in 17 of the 22 SGIP stakeholder categories elected a representative to the governing board. Because of a tie, a run-off election will be held for the board seat in the stakeholder category representing "standards and specification development organizations." There were no candidates in several categories, so those seats will be filled later.
In addition, the entire membership voted on three at-large board members. The full list of newly elected governing board members can be found at www.nist.gov/public_affairs/releases/smartgrid_111909.html.
