UK company geo publishes bridging spec for energy systems

An open specification has been developed to allow OpenADR and Matter to work together, offering mass-market grid demand response solutions for consumers.

Cambridge-based geo (Green Energy Options) has published the specification, created in collaboration with the OpenADR Alliance and the Connectivity Standards Alliance. This development offers a path for both Demand Side Response service providers and Energy Smart Appliance manufacturers to leverage the energy flexibility inherent in home appliances, electric vehicle charging, and other systems.

The OpenADR protocol has been utilised by utilities and energy service providers for over 15 years to link homes and businesses to the grid. This system enables the grid to understand flexibility in appliances, sending signals to manage energy usage and help balance demand.

Matter, introduced in 2022, serves as a standard for smart home devices to communicate, featuring secure data sharing and an intuitive setup. The bridging specification facilitates communication between OpenADR and Matter systems, providing a framework for flexible energy services beyond current applications.

The initiative is supported by the UK Department of Energy Security and Net Zero and builds upon projects like the Interoperable Demand Side Response (IDSR) programme. The specification aims to separate grid management from direct appliance control, enabling broader scalability and reducing implementation costs.

Rolf Bienert, Managing Director of the OpenADR Alliance, said: "Consumers want simplicity. This specification bridges grid control with home energy management, making energy flexibility seamless."

Tobin Richardson, President and CEO of the Connectivity Standards Alliance, added: "Marking a pivotal moment in energy evolution, the OpenADR specification enables communication between utilities and consumers, allowing Matter devices to respond to those energy signals. It's an impressive step forward in enhancing grid efficiency and paves the way for a more sustainable, greener future."

Patrick Caiger-Smith, geo Chairman, stated: "Keeping consumers' hard-earned money in their pockets by providing meaningful carbon reduction to millions of homes, simply and cost effectively, has always been central to our mission. A series of DESNZ sponsored projects have helped to make this vision a reality and this latest OpenADR and Matter bridging specification means those benefits can now be delivered sooner, not least because the commercial value for ESA manufacturers and flexibility service providers is now clearer than ever."