what is the deal with software standards for the smart grid?

reading random web pages, it seems that there are about 8 levels of functionality where software standards are needed so equipment can be purchased that will talk together

reading random pages, my impression is that 2007 Energy Bill called for a task force, with NIST (overdue) on a report in Dec 2008, and recommendations to FERC, for action (maybe)
but NIST is really waiting for industry
and industry is putzing around because different corp golaiths have vested interests in their own versions of standards

a)  is this all wrong?
b)  are standards not really necessary before big investment?
c)  what the hell is the plan (if any) to move the standards show along?
d)  what do you want to spend money on immediately for "d"?

Rachel is with us!  Some of you smart grid mavens should be on her show Patrick.

Power up the reliable smart grid, with built in backup everywhere, in every building, on farms with biogas and wind, on homes and buildings with grid connected solar cogeneration.  Loops that link together that power every building right up to the downed power line.  From either direction so breaking a loop dosen't power down a whole region.

The only way to have a really reliable grid is to make it a really adaptable grid, where each cell of the network, each building, has at least emergency backup.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin

Over the past week Melbourne has been suffering under a heat wave. The temperature got up to 45 degrees celcius. The rail network collapsed due to warped rails and failing air conditioners on trains. Forrest fires broke out. Dozens of old folks keeled over from heat stroke. And suburbs were blacked out periodically for several days to deal with power usage surges due to the use of air-conditioning.

I work from home as does my business partner. When the power went off it killed my computer (i.e. it wouldn't turn on again thereafter). Power went off in his suburb also, but he has an 8 panel grid connected solar panel system. He didn't even realise the power had gone down. I lost 4 days work. He's goading me about finally going solar.

If a substantial portion of Melbourne were to go solar, then heatwave induced blackouts would be a thing of the past.

I'm not holding my breath though. The state government is deeply enmeshed with big coal and has been furiously justifying it's poor planning by claiming that no one could possibly foresee and plan for such extreme heatwave events.

Have not been tracking the standards study ordered by the Energy Bill.  There was an uproar recently over a provision someone inserted in the stimulus to limit smart grid money to Internet-based systems, which would lock out other standards like Zigbee.  In general, we don't need standards to get moving, but should be getting at them as quickly as possible.  GridWise Architecture Council is the group tasked with this.

On the D grid I would start with Advanced Metering Infrastructure to really get a data flow and communications system going.  With that I would start a demand response program, probably engaging larger customers first.  I would also companion the effort with a energy efficiency/retrofit initiative backed with municipal bond funding and/or some other kind of patient capital and have the work paid on utility bills or property taxes.  Combine Boulder Smart Grid City with mass retrofit initiatives starting up in places like Berkeley and Boulder, and you have the beginning of urban energy transformation.  

Patrick Mazza

why don't you need standards to get going?

ready, fire, aim

if you don't have the standards

 industry will not sign on to a hodge podge.  plus, probably a bad idea

 you have the "security" issue, that will not be small

 maybe you are right.  maybe my understanding is completely whacked.  I don't know very much

but I don't understand your point.

WHAT can be done without standards

what needs to wait until standards are in place?