The ZigBee Smart Energy public profile defines how a group of devices work cooperatively within a network, enabling utilities to intelligently manage energy loads, monitor energy usage, and optimize consumption. As the home area network (HAN) device communication standard selected by the U.S. Department of Energy in its initial regulatory framework for Smart Grid development, ZigBee Smart Energy is a key technology for addressing future U.S. energy management needs. With the launch of ZigBee Smart Energy-ready modules and gateways, Digi is making this technology more accessible than ever.
Digi’s new ZigBee Smart Energy product family includes the ZigBee XBee® and XBee-PRO® SE modules and the certified ConnectPort™ X2 ESP gateway. Building on the previous XBee and XBee-PRO ZB, the new XBee and XBee-PRO SE modules feature firmware that simplifies the process of developing and certifying a ZigBee Smart Energy device. ZigBee Smart Energy provides the connection between a consumer's home area network and an energy service provider via a mobile or broadband connection.
“We developed a new programmable and controllable thermostat using the XBee SE module,” said Michael Kuhlmann, president of Residential Control Systems. “The XBee SE module streamlined the development process and reduced the time required to manufacture our innovative product by almost half.”
“Digi has taken a clear leadership role in creating Smart Grids,” said Joe Dunsmore, president of Digi International. “Our launch of iDigi Energy in March greatly simplified the creation of wireless energy management applications. And now, with the launch of Smart Energy, our OEM customers can rapidly create the interoperable thermostats, home energy viewers, meter reading devices, and load controllers needed to make the Smart Grid a reality.”
Digi’s ZigBee Smart Energy products also expand upon the recently launched iDigi Energy M2M wireless solution suite, which includes the hardware, hosted software, and services needed to quickly and easily integrate Smart Grid devices. iDigi now includes Smart Energy-ready hardware and Smart Energy software support via the iDigi platform, a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) that connects remote devices to a customer’s applications. 
“The ZigBee Smart Energy profile is the standard for Smart Grid applications,” said Benno Ritter, Area Vice President of Marketing for the ZigBee Alliance. “With the launch of Digi’s new product family, the company is giving a boost to the energy sector by facilitating the development of ZigBee Smart Energy devices by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).”
The ZigBee XBee and XBee-PRO ZB modules feature ZigBee Smart Energy-ready firmware to enable the deployment of each of the eight devices defined in the ZigBee Smart Energy public application profile: ESPs, meter reading devices, home displays, programmable thermostats, charge controllers, range extenders, smart appliances, and prepaid terminals. Programmers who manufacture these devices can now use Digi’s Smart Energy products and the iDigi Energy suite to significantly reduce development and certification time, as well as the knowledge and experience required to manufacture a ZigBee Smart Energy product. 
In addition, the ZigBee XBee and XBee-PRO ZB modules perform network connection, onboarding, authentication, and key establishment functions, and offer easy network and module configuration via the XBee application programming interface (API). Customers can also upgrade their existing XBee and XBee-PRO ZB modules with Smart Energy firmware free of charge.
The ConnectPort X2 ESP enables energy service providers to deploy home area network (HAN) devices that are fully managed by the Digi gateway via a mobile or broadband connection, allowing Smart Grid services to be deployed in areas not covered by Smart Metering networks. Once a Smart Meter is installed, the gateway can be onboarded to that network and provide programmable home energy services and secondary communication paths over public networks to deliver enhanced energy services. The ConnectPort X2 ESP was also certified in a single day by National Technical Systems, Inc. (NTS) using the NTS ZigBee Smart Energy testbed.