99-3 Liberalisation and Standardisation
Modularity on a high level
The liberalised market for energy is a real challenge for meter designers. Experience over the last few month show that it is nearly impossible to predict the development of an open market. If players change quickly and offered products evolve in a not yet seen way, standardised offerings are a must. Only building blocks which allow a new configuration in a short time can fulfil this new need. The functional blocks, visible as COSEM objects towards the outside world, being exactly the same regardless of the manufacturer of the meter, are a strong attempt for standardising flexible elements for the liberalised market.
Traditionally IEC TC13 has taken care of standardisation for electricity metering. What can the DLMS User Association do in such a traditional environment? Well, the rules are known, the proposals for standardisation of these building blocks are launched. IEC has established lately some "fast track" procedures, they shall be used in this case. The aim is to quickly provide as well users (utilities) as producers (manufacturers) of metering equipment with an up-to-date tool for compatibility, without loosing the advantage of a long term stability, which only can be guaranteed by international standardising bodies.
The DLMS User Association is also playing the role of a mediator. Results of practical applications of the DLMS UA documentation are quickly fed back to the Association. They are first internally communicated and harmonised, they find their way into working documents, and finally they are published in new editions of the "coloured books". Care is taken in order to stay compatible to earlier versions. Standardisation is the final step of this process. Along with the new approach in standardisation came more flexible revision processes, so that the standards still reflect and will reflect a rather up-to-date status.
Further on, even standards which were around for ages (e.g. IEC 1107, local data exchange for electricity meters) are considered within the DLMS UA, revisions of the standard are actively supported and all missing elements to be co-ordinated between channel and application are discussed, harmonised and fed back into the standardisation path.
Liberalisation is a reality for the energy distribution business, the DLMS User Association is actively supporting the changing business processes.