The ZigBee Alliance has hired Larry Taylor as director of European standards development and the head of its new European office located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Taylor, who has more than 20 years of experience with International Standards, will lead a team responsible for expanding the Alliance’s efforts in addressing the European Union (EU)’s specific needs in energy management standards and Smart Grid activities.
The European HQ will also focus on supporting its growing European-based membership and expanding its growing role in EU implementations of ZigBee Smart Energy in wireless advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and home area networks (HAN).
More than 150 Alliance members, or 40 percent of the Alliance’s membership, have European operations focused on ZigBee-related projects. The European HQ will help foster new partnerships with energy-related EU organizations while bolstering efforts with existing collaborations with the European Smart Metering Industry Group (ESMIG) and the Device Language Message Specification (DLMS) User Association.
“ZigBee is committed to playing an active role in EU Smart Grid standardization efforts by sharing our expertise with ZigBee Smart Energy implementations already underway around the world,” said Bob Heile, chairman of the ZigBee Alliance. “Our new European HQ is a testament to placing Europe as a priority so we can continue helping our strong and growing European membership base continue to benefit from ZigBee.”
Growth in EU Smart Grid initiatives is being fuelled by government energy and environmental policies, plus rising consumer interest in energy conservation, Heile said. The European Parliament’s passage of the 3rd Energy Package last year requires the outfitting of 80 percent of EU electricity customers with smart meters by 2020. In addition, according to analyst firm Berg Insight, the installed base of smart electricity meters in Europe will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 17.9 percent between 2009 and 2015 to reach 111.4 million. The European HQ will help ZigBee Alliance members understand and address EU specific needs as developments within the EU market unfold.
“There is a growing need among consumers for more control over household devices through easy-to-use and green wireless automation systems to conserve energy, and our European members are working to incorporate innovative ZigBee standards wherever possible to meet this growing need,” Taylor said. “The ZigBee Alliance European HQ will help members leverage and address changing market needs, and work with EU standards bodies to ensure ZigBee Smart Energy contributes to evolving EU Smart Grid requirements.”
