Certfication body
TÜV Rheinland of North America, Newtown, Conn., has been recognized by the EPA as a certification body (CB) for the new Energy Star Enhanced Testing and Verification program. Starting January 1, 2011, all newly qualified products in all Energy Star product categories will be required to have their energy performance validated by an EPA-recognized third-party certification body prior to product labeling.
TÜV Rheinland performs product testing and certification for global market access.
New energy source
Maxwell Technologies Inc., San Diego, was awarded a $1.7 million technology development contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for the initial phase of a multiphase program to develop a lighter, longer-lasting, energy source for field radios and other portable electronic equipment carried by military personnel. Maxwell will lead a team that includes the U. S. Navy and the Univ. of Massachusetts. Maxwell Technologies develops and manufactures innovative, cost-effective energy-storage and power-delivery solutions.
ZigBee Smart Energy
The ZigBee Alliance, a global ecosystem of companies that create wireless solutions for use in energy-management, commercial, and consumer applications, and the Society of Automotive Engineers will collaborate on ZigBee Smart Energy standard development. This effort will make ZigBee Smart Energy the preferred technology supporting Plug-In Electric Vehicles and allow essential vehicle-to-grid (V2G) communication and power capabilities.
Smart Utility Networks
The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), Arlington, Va., has created a new engineering committee, TR-51, to develop standards for Smart Utility Networks. The committee will bring together utility companies and the ICT community to develop standards and a mesh network topography, optimized for Smart Utility applications.
The TIA represents the global information and communications technology (ICT) industry through standards development, advocacy, trade shows, business opportunities, market intelligence and worldwide environmental regulatory analysis.
