Ann Arbor, MI -- ODVA has launched a new energy initiative, in cooperation with major suppliers, including Cisco Systems, Rockwell Automation, and Schneider Electric, to transform the industrial energy resource allocation model. The goal of ODVA's energy initiative is to develop a comprehensive approach to the optimization of energy usage for the industrial consumer that is scalable, open, and inclusive for both users and suppliers. ODVA's energy approach will simplify the ability to understand energy consumption and enable control methodologies to optimize energy usage throughout the industrial ecosystem, from the plantfloor to the grid.
Although understanding energy consumption is critical to truly optimizing plantwide operations, production planners have not had all the necessary tools. ODVA seeks to change this situation by fostering best practices in energy resource allocation, including visibility of energy data throughout the layers of the production information systems.
"The starting point for ODVA's energy initiative is to ensure that energy data can be seen throughout the production domain in order to empower industrial consumers with the energy information they need to solve their energy consumption and efficiency problems in a holistic manner," said Katherine Voss, Executive Director, ODVA.
ODVA's energy initiative is the result of a lengthy investigation by ODVA and its leadership into the energy needs of industry, combined with the strong interest by ODVA members to support the sustainability objectives of manufacturers. It is a natural expansion of ODVA's application coverage for industrial automation, and ODVA expects broad participation and support by many of its members.
Randall Selesky, Vice President of Power and Energy from Rockwell Automation, a principal and founding member of ODVA, said, "Rockwell Automation strongly supports ODVA's focus on energy. We believe the initiative will accelerate industry's opportunity to successfully implement innovations in energy control and management and, as a result, boost profitability and promote responsible energy usage."
Chet Namboodri, Global Director of Manufacturing Industry Solutions and Marketing for Cisco Systems, another principal member of ODVA, added, "The addition of energy to ODVA's automation portfolio dovetails perfectly with Cisco's Industrial Automation market initiative and industrial intelligence solutions, which enable businesses to improve productivity, process, and profits while enhancing sustainability to benefit people and the environment through better utilization of resources."
Fred Cohn, Director of Network Strategy for Industry Business at Schneider Electric, another principal member of ODVA concluded, "Schneider Electric supports active energy efficiency by enabling customers to optimize energy use with monitoring and control. We believe that our solution for industrial consumers will be enhanced by ODVA's efforts to broaden EtherNet/IP to provide energy awareness and improved management capabilities."
As the first action in its energy initiative, ODVA has formed a special interest group (SIG) to develop specification enhancements for energy applications utilizing the Common Industrial Protocol. The work of the SIG will focus on developing energy parameters, objects, and services for energy optimization. Initial enhancements of the ODVA specifications are expected to be available in 2012.
ODVA will present an overview of its vision for optimization of energy usage for the industrial consumer at its 2011 Industry Conference and 14th Annual meeting, to be held March 1–3, 2011 in Phoenix, AZ.
About ODVA
Founded in 1995, ODVA is a global association whose members are comprised of the world's leading automation companies. ODVA's mission is to advance open, interoperable information and communication technologies in industrial automation. ODVA recognizes its media independent network protocol, the Common Industrial Protocol or "CIP" - and the network adaptations of CIP - EtherNet/IP, DeviceNet, CompoNet and ControlNet - as its core technology and the primary common interest of its membership. ODVA's vision is to contribute to the sustainability and prosperity of the global community by transforming the model for information and communication technology in the industrial ecosystem. For future interoperability of production systems and the integration of the production systems with other systems, ODVA embraces the adoption of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) and standard, unmodified Internet and Ethernet technologies as a guiding principle wherever possible. This principal is exemplified by EtherNet/IP - the world's number one industrial Ethernet network.