News Release

Cisco Continues Global Smart Grid Momentum

Company Launches Smart Grid Ecosystem with More Than 25 Partners and Announces Customer Technical Advisory Board, Grid Security Services
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Sep 17, 2009

SAN JOSE, Calif. – September 17, 2009 – Cisco today announced further steps in its efforts to enable development of an end-to-end, highly secure Smart Grid communications infrastructure that will help utility companies and their customers optimize energy supply and demand, improve smart grid security and reliability, and reduce operational costs.

Facts/Highlights:

Cisco is creating the Cisco Smart Grid Ecosystem to facilitate the adoption of Internet Protocol (IP)-based communications standards for smart grids that will benefit the energy industry as well as business and residential customers.

  • The members of the Cisco Smart Grid ecosystem include system integrators, technology vendors, power and utility integrators, service providers, and services and sales vendors who represent various elements of the Smart Grid infrastructure.
  • Ecosystem members will work with Cisco to support interoperability testing and enable industry migration to an IP-based infrastructure for smart grids and energy management applications, all the way from generation to businesses and homes.
  • This effort will help reduce the cost and complexity of deploying multivendor smart grid communications infrastructure solutions for both utility companies and ecosystem members.
  • The initial list of companies who are part of this open ecosystem includes:  Accenture, AeroScout, Arcadian Networks, AREVA T&D, Cable&Wireless Worldwide, Capgemini, Coleman Technologies, EMC, Echelon, EnergyHub, GE, GridPoint, Infosys Technologies, Itron, Landis + Gyr, OATI, Oracle, OSIsoft, Pulse Energy, Proximetry, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), SecureLogix, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Skyline-ATS, Telvent, Verizon, Watteco, Wipro, and World Wide Technology, Inc.

Cisco is working with utility customers around the world to define and develop intelligent, highly secure communication architectures for electrical systems.

  • Cisco has formed a Smart Grid Technical Advisory Board (TAB) made up of leading innovative utility and energy companies from around the world.
  • The TAB will help Cisco align its service, support and product direction to its customers' specific business and mission requirements.  It will give customers the opportunity to influence Cisco Smart Grid product and solution development road maps through a technology-focused forum.

In support of its Smart Grid efforts, Cisco is introducing grid security services and solutions.

  • Cisco is providing smart grid security services and solutions that deliver a unified approach to help ensure the physical security, cyber security and reliability of the electric system. 
  • These solutions are delivered through a set of professional services that take advantage of Cisco's security leadership and experience in designing and building end-to-end security architectures, and help utilities address regulatory compliance requirements, as well as provide critical infrastructure security for grid operations, systems, data and assets.
  • Cisco security services include utility compliance assessment, physical site security vulnerability assessment, grid security architecture design, as well as physical and networking security design and deployment.

Cisco continues its efforts to ensure the interoperability of systems, devices and applications that make up the Smart Grid and to enable an IP-based smart grid communications infrastructure.

  • Cisco has joined the ZigBee Alliance to help drive the adoption of IP-based communications.  As the leader in IP architecture, Cisco will support and participate in the development of ZigBee Smart Energy public application profile technology and products.

Supporting Quotes:

  • Marthin de Beer, senior vice president, Cisco Emerging Technologies Group

    • "Cisco is making important strides toward enabling an end-to-end, highly secure Smart Grid communications infrastructure that will help utilities, business and consumers better manage and reduce energy consumption.  Together with our partners, and with input from utilities around the world, we will develop open, IP-based solutions that will help make the Smart Grid and all of its benefits a reality."

  • Benno Ritter, vice president of Marketing and Business, ZigBee Alliance

    • "The ZigBee Alliance is pleased to have Cisco join our efforts to build the Smart Grid.  Cisco is a leader in IP-based technology and that expertise will help ZigBee expand its wireless IP based deployment options."

For supporting quotes from dozens of industry leaders and customers, please see attached.

Supporting Resources:

Tags / Keywords:

Cisco, Smart Grid, Sustainability, Environment, Energy Management, Ecosystem, Utilities

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About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.

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Cisco, the Cisco logo and Cisco Systems are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. This document is Cisco Public Information.

Cisco Smart Grid Ecosystem Members Supporting Quotes

  • Andre Hughes, managing director, Accenture & Cisco Business Group

    • "Accenture and Cisco are driving interoperability, open access and IP standards for smart grid architectures that are designed to help utility companies reduce costs and realize the full benefits of smart grid.  Together, we are leveraging Accenture's proven experience in implementing and designing smart grid architectures and processes, so that utility companies can increase grid reliability, optimize power generation, improve grid security and respond in real time to consumer and regulatory demands."

  • Gabi Daniely, VP of marketing and product strategy, AeroScout

    • "AeroScout is excited to be part of this initiative, working jointly with Cisco and its ecosystem partners to drive the adoption of open IP-based standards for Smart Grids. Our solutions, which leverage Wi-Fi networks, will enable the location tracking of assets and provide automated condition monitoring and sensing of critical assets and devices in the energy and utilities industries."

  • Ed Solar, CEO, Arcadian Networks

    • "Arcadian Network's longstanding mission to deliver secure, IP-based communications as the enabling platform for the Smart Grid is greatly enhanced by our relationship with Cisco and our membership in the Cisco Smart Grid Ecosystem program."

  • Jean-Michel Cornille, executive vice-president, AREVA T&D

    • "We are excited to be part of this breakthrough initiative to make smarter grids a reality for all.
    Smarter Grids are a key pillar in our global growth strategy, and we believe they will be delivered through smart technology and teamwork. Partnering with Cisco is therefore a perfect fit, combining in one single eco-system Cisco's leadership in information technology with AREVA T&D's leadership in energy applications and grid automation solutions. We welcome this opportunity to contribute significantly to building an energy-efficient future."

  • Phil Male, operations director, Cable&Wireless Worldwide

    • "Cable&Wireless' strength as a leading provider of business critical communications to the Utility sector has meant we form a pivotal part of the Cisco SmartGrid ecosystem. We're pleased to demonstrate our strong engagement with Cisco in this way and are confident that our customers will see real benefits from this."

  • Colette Lewiner Energy, Utilities and Chemicals Global Sector Leader, Capgemini

    • "Capgemini is pleased to join Cisco's Smart Grid EcoSystem. Capgemini has invested since 2001 in the smart grid and smart metering market and related technologies. The Company is a leading System Integrator in this area and is working already for a number of clients on both sides of the Atlantic. Capgemini recognizes the importance of supporting IP-based communication which we see as an accelerator in enabling a smart grid."

  • Ian Jones, vice president, Network Solutions, Coleman Technologies, Inc.

    • "Coleman Technologies, Inc. (CTI) is excited to participate in the Cisco Smart Grid Ecosystem, enabling the technology transformation that is taking place in the energy industry. As a member of the ecosystem, CTI will focus on the continued effort to develop unified approaches to extending the intelligence of the network from the source of power generation to business and residential subscribers. These unified approaches will accommodate the extreme industrial specification outlined by the IEC 61850-3 and IEEE 1613 standards as well the need for tightly integrated grid security solutions, comprised of both physical security and cyber security over wired and wireless infrastructure."

  • Rona Newmark, vice president, Corporate Strategy, EMC

    • "Our utility customers are interested in Smart Grid architectures to help them and their customers be more efficient with distribution and consumption of energy.  As these architectures unite the IT and operational side of utility businesses, EMC will be working collaboratively with other vendors in the Cisco Smart Grid Ecosystem to develop an integrated and automated Smart Grid information infrastructure. EMC technology, including security from our RSA division, resource management and storage, will be leveraged in the unified information infrastructure to help drive cost reductions, while reducing risk and complexity associated with transforming the way the utility industry conducts business."

  • Ken Oshman, chairman and CEO, Echelon Corporation

    • "We have long been committed to leveraging IP standards to bring information from smart devices onto the Internet. We share the vision that smart buildings, home, and utility infrastructure, working together, are essential to achieve the promise of the smart grid and deliver the energy savings and efficiency gains we need to move industry forward. With tens of millions of smart, IP accessible smart devices already deployed in systems around the world we are pleased to join with Cisco in this effort"

  • Seth Frader-Thompson, CEO, EnergyHub

    • "As the consumer face of the Smart Grid, EnergyHub strongly advocates the use of proven open standards.  It is important to benefit from decades of development in other industries. We at EnergyHub are excited to be a part of this key initiative."

  • Larry Sollecito, President & CEO, GE Digital Energy

    • "GE and Cisco are aligned around a common vision to modernize the power grid to support the energy needs of our 21st century society. Our companies have a shared commitment to bringing enhanced communications and information technology to our electrical network. Through real-time knowledge and information sharing, a smarter grid will empower consumers to manage energy usage and costs, optimize the integration of cleaner energy sources, and drive increased energy efficiencies."

  • Peter L. Corsell, CEO, GridPoint

    • "We are delighted to be working with Cisco, which is applying its considerable networking expertise to develop an IP-based infrastructure. Together, we can fuel the adoption of smart grid applications by utilities and their customers."

  • Sanjay Jalona, vice president of high-tech & manufacturing and executive sponsor for Cisco partnership, Infosys Technologies

    • "Infosys is co-developing Smart Grid solutions for utilities, businesses and consumers with Cisco leveraging our Centers of Excellence for Smart Grid and Advanced Metering. Together with Cisco, we will execute on our shared vision of an open, IP-based approach with interoperable solutions that improve performance, reliability and security of the Smart Grid while reducing the time and cost of deployment for our customers."

  • Philip Mezey, North America senior vice president and chief operating officer, Itron

    • "The reality is that no one company, no matter how big or how innovative, will build the smart grid. We need a new model of collaboration to be successful, one that reduces the cost and complexity of deploying multi-vendor, smart grid communications.  Itron's most complicated smart grid and AMI installations are becoming reality; collaboration has afforded us with a tremendous amount of knowledge. Sharing that knowledge with members of the Smart Grid Ecosystem will culminate in benefits not only for vendors, but more importantly for utilities."

  • Andreas Umbach, president and chief operating officer, Landis+Gyr

    • "Interoperability can only be achieved when industry leaders work together. Bringing together the respective strengths of Landis+Gyr, the global leader in electricity metering, and Cisco, the recognized leader in networking, we have a great opportunity to realize a shared vision of an open standards based future for the smart grid. Accordingly, Landis+Gyr is proud to be a founding member of the Cisco Smart Grid Ecosystem."

  • Jerry Dempsey, vice president, Sales and Marketing, OATI

    • "By working with Cisco and other Smart Grid Ecosystem partners, OATI is better positioned to supply its secure, dependable web SmartEnergy solutions using IP-based communication standards that enable utilities and consumers alike to more efficiently utilize their resources and manage demand."

  • Brad Williams, vice president, Product Strategy, Oracle Utilities Global Business Unit

    • "The Smart Grid is a vision of a cleaner, safer, and more efficient energy future. It is not, however, a single, pre-configured set of advanced technologies. Each utility will need to define the Smart Grid objectives best suited to its own customers and community -- each will need to develop its own path to the Smart Grid. To succeed in this demanding task, each utility will need to work with trusted vendor/partners who share a common vision of standards-based Smart Grids based on interoperable solutions and flexible business processes. Oracle's commitment to work with Cisco and others in the context of the Smart Grid Ecosystem assures utilities that vision can become reality. The Smart Grid Ecosystem will help utilities develop Smart Grid plans with confidence. It will assure them of the continuing availability of cost-effective, future-oriented options that build on existing hardware, software, and business processes. In short, the Smart Grid Ecosystem will, we believe, provide the robust building blocks on which utilities can build the Smart Grids that will help ensure an environmentally sustainable energy future."

  • John O'Shea, senior vice president, OSIsoft, Inc.

    • "The OSIsoft® PI System® is the mission-critical infrastructure for Smart Grid operations, and we have a long history of supporting IP-based communication. We naturally support Cisco on this initiative. The Smart Grid requires collecting, correlating and acting upon massive amounts of real-time data. Because the PI System is designed to provide a robust operating environment—drawing real-time, event-driven data from hundreds of types of data sources for a complete operational view—it uses widely adopted IP-based communication standards. This enables our customers to leverage maximum value from their technology investment."

  • Tracy Trent, CEO, Proximetry

    • "Proximetry is pleased to join Cisco and its Smart Grid Ecosystem to drive open standards adoption, particularly IP-based solutions like those we've enabled at several high-profile smart grid pilot networks, including our award-winning work in Southern California. Standards-based, broadband wireless is a natural solution to achieving low-cost, pervasive smart grid communications, and Proximetry's breakthrough policy management tool, AirSync, enables that vision through real-time network-wide visualization, management and control across multiple technologies, wireless frequencies, and protocols."

  • David Helliwell, CEO, Pulse Energy

    • "Pulse Energy is pleased to be working with Cisco to bring intelligent energy management to buildings around the world. Pulse energy management software plays an important role in the smart grid, by enabling real-time identification and correction of energy-wasting anomalies. Being a member of the Cisco Smart Grid Ecosystem will make our efforts more effective by ensuring interoperability and by providing easy access to a wide range of sources of energy information."

  • Joe, O'Donnell, vice president of world-wide business development, SecureLogix

    • "We leverage IP standards and the Cisco IP network to give energy providers unprecedented visibility and control over their voice system elements and certain control communication systems. This innovative ecosystem will ensure that we continue to build on the natural synergies between open IP standards, Cisco's market leading IP solutions, and SecureLogix® Unified Communications Policy ManagementTM capabilities."

  • Philippe Delorme, executive vice president, Strategy & Innovation, Schneider Electric

    • "Schneider Electric provides active energy management from power plant to plug. Leveraging a unique portfolio of application and expertise in the field of energy management, Schneider Electric is pleased to join Cisco in developing end-to-end SmartGrid communications infrastructure based on IP open standards.  This open architecture will reduce the cost and complexity of deploying SmartGrid communications systems and will ultimately enable both energy suppliers and consumers across the markets we serve to make the most of their energy (TM)."

  • Rex Ballard, senior vice president, SAIC

    • "SAIC's participation in the Cisco Smart Grid Ecosystem demonstrates our commitment to working with industry leaders to build and secure the nation's most critical electrical infrastructure."

  • Ralf Christian, CEO Power Distribution Division, Siemens Energy Sector

    • "Siemens has the requisite smart grid solutions in its portfolio. We are world market leader in key areas of power transmission and distribution, including the field of energy automation. We are thus a competent, reliable partner for utilities looking for cost-effective, eco-friendly and energy-efficient solutions for setting up smart grids."

  • Brent Davies, new business development manager, Skyline-ATS

    • "Skyline-ATS, experts in NERC CIP Compliance has joined with Cisco, as part of an ecosystem of like-minded companies to promote the adoption of open standards and IP for smart grid communications networks. Skyline-ATS offers a comprehensive NERC CIP training program that assists utility companies in complying with NERC CIP network requirements to safe guard against cyber attacks and believes adoption of open standards and IP is critical to maintaining the security of smart grid communications networks."

  • Manuel Sanchez, chairman and CEO of Telvent

    • "Telvent is eminently prepared, today, to contribute to the Smart Grid Ecosystem and proud to be part of this consortium. Using a secure infrastructure that honors industry standards, the Ecosystem shows that open, extensible architecture components such as those in the Telvent Smart Grid Solution Suite can be fully integrated into electric grid topologies currently deployed and those modeled for the future. They connect the business information systems utilities rely on, and will accommodate the increased data volume expected in intelligent grid networks."

  • Nancy Gofus, senior vice president of business products, Verizon

    • "Just as IP has helped so many industries transform the way they do business, an IP-enabled Smart Grid has the power to improve how we manage and preserve energy resources.  As a leader pioneering IP solutions for the business community, we are joining with Cisco to propel the promise of Smart Grid forward for our customers."

  • Eric Berthaud, chairman, WattecoSAS

    • "Watteco is proud to be a member of the Cisco Smart Grid Ecosystem and shares Cisco's vision of developing IP-based communication standards to help drive the adoption of more efficient and less complex smart grid solutions for both the business and residential markets.  Low power IP-based end-to-end Powerline communication solutions are an example of making the vision of reality by transforming the existing electrical system into a more efficient, reliable, and clean system of the future."

  • Subbi Lakshmanan, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, E&U SBU, Wipro Technologies.

    • "Wipro has a proven track record in assisting Utilities for the past decade in various business transformations including but not limited to the areas of Smart Metering and Smart Grid. As Utilities face the challenge of attaining operational efficiencies and influence sustainable usage patterns in consumers, Cisco's launch of Smart Grid Eco-system couldn't have come at a better time. Wipro's Smart Grid Solution Integration capabilities along with Cisco's drive to provide an end to end secure Smart Grid communication infrastructure, will enable Utilities to quickly realize the multiple benefits of Smart Grid."

  • John Rohde, business development manager, World Wide Technology, Inc.

    • "Our customers are eager to transition their legacy networks into an intelligent and more secure electrical infrastructure for the 21st century. Cisco's Smart Grid Ecosystem will help to assure utilities that the solutions they need to make Smart Grid a reality will be interoperable and future-oriented. Through engagement with Cisco, WWT can provide the technology and services enabling the build out of an end-to-end Smart Grid communications infrastructure."

Cisco Customers/Additional Third Parties

  • Todd Arnold, senior vice president for Smart Grid and Customer Systems, Duke Energy

    • "Duke Energy is pleased to further its relationship with Cisco by becoming a member of the Technical Advisory Board. Sharing industry perspective and best practices through this forum should help accelerate development of Smart Grid solutions that will transform the way electricity is delivered and consumed by the 11 million people Duke Energy serves across five states. Together, Duke Energy and Cisco can showcase what is possible with an advanced, intelligent electrical infrastructure."

  • Stefan Engelhardt, head, Utility Industry Business Unit, SAP AG

    • "We applaud Cisco and its ecosystem of partners in providing a standards-based communications infrastructure for the utilities industry.  This standards-based approach is complementary to our vision for the next phase in the evolution of Smart Grid capabilities that can be managed in a distributed environment and provide visibility and control across the network. This improved visibility and control of the Smart Grid will allow SAP to more effectively provide end-to-end management of the generation, transmission and demand-side application requirements that utilities need to address their customers' changing demands for energy."

  • Martin Vesper, Executive Director Yello Strom GmbH

    • "Yello is pleased to join Cisco's Smart Grid Technical Advisory Board. We started selling our IP-based smart meter, the Sparzähler Online, to residential customers. Our meter has an open internet interface, making it ready for a smart, efficient and highly-secure electrical infrastructure for the 21st century. To create such an infrastructure, it's essential that businesses and government work together - and to accelerate the evolution of the smart grid, it's crucial for all parties to agree on a path forward that will ensure the interoperability of systems, devices and applications, based on already existing standards like IP, also for the benefit of the residential customer. As part of that we recognize the importance of an IP-based communications platform and therefore support it."

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