The world is changing right before our very eyes. It seems like only yesterday that everyone used rotary-style landlines and the idea of using a cellular handset was some far-off notion. Today though, virtually everyone has a cellular handset and the idea of using a landline is quickly going “out of fashion.” But that's not the extent of the changes ahead. The handset itself is changing. No longer is a handset something

It seems like it wasn't all that long ago that a discussion of ZigBee meant nothing more than a technology that presented an easy solution to the wireless light switch. It offered builders and homeowners a means to cost-effectively install portable light switches — along with thermostats and even security systems. In recent years, that discussion has broadened to include the application of ZigBee in HVAC, product tracking, medical monitoring, and industrial sensor networks. ZigBee product deployments can now be found in markets as diverse as lighting, entertainment control, climate control, appliance control, and safety and security. Despite its growing success in such wide-ranging markets, the role of ZigBee in empowering new applications and markets is not yet complete.

These days, the technology is being eyed as a potential solution to an increasingly worrisome problem — the projected global energy crisis. The problem is fairly straightforward to understand. Everyday there are more and more people in this world and those people are using more and more energy — for their cars and to power their homes — just as a few examples. To accommodate the rising demand for energy, more power plants will need to be built. But even that measure will not likely be enough to meet the expected energy demand. Consequently, industry is being forced to seek out alternate solutions — ones that can help better manage energy and make its use more efficient.

This is exactly where ZigBee comes in. Many of its features and capabilities make it the ideal technology for use in an array of energy management and efficiency applications. A number of energy companies, ranging from utilities to suppliers, are already making good use of ZigBee. Still others are evaluating it for future use. Additionally, a number of pilot projects are under way. As an example, consider the Smart Metering pilot schemes now occurring in California. You may recall that during the summer of 2000 the state experienced rolling blackouts. This activity served as a stark reminder to the rest of the world what an energy shortfall might mean if energy initiatives are not implemented soon. Not wanting to repeat the same bleak scenario, California actively looked for a solution. As a result, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric are looking to start installing smart metering systems over the next few years.

Similarly, Milton Hydro Distribution, a leader in the adoption of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), has begun deploying the Trilliant Home Solution as a means of providing its customers with the choice of participation in planned Conservation and Demand Management (CDM) programs. The Trilliant Home Solution is an open standards-based platform for AMI-integrated demand response (e.g., load control), incorporating thermostats and other loads such as pool pumps and water heaters. It also supports in-home consumer displays that control loads, display meter readings and provides for utility-initiated messages. Other utility companies are also considering this solution for their emerging demand response initiatives.

This issue of Emerging Wireless Technology takes a closer look at the issue of energy management and efficiency, and in particular, at the enabling role ZigBee may play in its evolution. In our new Q&A section (starting on p. 14), special interviews with three energy companies provide a glimpse at how the energy crisis is affecting them and their customers. The articles also detail how these three companies are using ZigBee to help address their energy-management challenges. Additionally, a special piece from the ZigBee Alliance will provide you with a bird's eye view of how the organization plans to deliver solutions that help consumers, businesses and utilities improve efficiency, reduce the need for new power plants and save money. With no end in sight to the projected energy crisis, this is one issue you won't want to miss.