DLMS & OpenADR pact links smart meters with flexibility

DLMS User Association and the OpenADR Alliance have signed a global liaison agreement on energy data exchange.

The arrangement is intended to link DLMS/COSEM smart meter data with OpenADR signalling for demand response and distributed energy resources.

The agreement aims to support interoperable, standards-based data exchange at the grid edge, where utilities, homes and buildings increasingly need to share information as electricity systems become more decentralised.

Under the deal, the organisations will exchange technical information, review draft work, create ad hoc technical task forces and co-ordinate technical activity. Each will retain its own governance arrangements and certification programmes.

Utilities are trying to modernise grid operations while integrating more distributed energy resources, such as battery storage, electric vehicle charging and flexible demand. That shift has increased the need for common interfaces between regulated metering systems and customer-side energy management tools.

DLMS/COSEM is widely used for secure smart meter data exchange, while OpenADR is designed for two-way signalling for demand response, distributed energy resources and flexibility services. The liaison is intended to create a more direct connection between those two parts of the energy technology stack.

Work areas

The initial focus includes developing a structured mapping between the COSEM and OpenADR data models so information can be interpreted consistently across the utility-to-edge interface.

The groups also plan to pursue international standardisation pathways for that mapping through one or more working groups within standards development organisations. Other work will examine whether DLMS/COSEM can be transported over OpenADR, including for use cases involving metrologically relevant data.

Certification is another area for co-ordination, although both parties will continue to run their own certification schemes independently.

The agreement reflects a broader push across the energy sector to avoid fragmentation as utilities and technology suppliers deploy new systems to manage flexible electricity demand. Common standards can reduce integration work between meter infrastructure, home energy systems and market platforms that support flexibility services.

According to DLMS User Association, its specifications are used in more than 300 million devices worldwide across energy and water metering and management systems. The group focuses on standardising data models and formats for telecommunications-agnostic data exchange.

The OpenADR Alliance, a non-profit industry body, promotes standards used by utilities and other market participants to communicate with distributed energy resources, including renewable generation, storage, demand response systems and electric vehicle charging equipment.

For grid operators and utilities, the practical challenge is connecting reliable meter data with systems that manage consumer-side flexibility without locking the market into proprietary interfaces. The liaison is intended to define a standard route for that exchange while preserving room for different implementation approaches.

"This marks an important step toward strengthening interoperability at the grid edge," said Sergio Lazzarotto, President of DLMS User Association. "DLMS/COSEM provides a robust, internationally recognised data model for smart metering. By establishing a clear and standardised mapping with OpenADR, we are defining a practical interface between revenue-grade metering and flexibility markets. This will enable scalable, future-ready solutions while maintaining the rigour required for regulated and metrologically relevant applications."

The OpenADR Alliance said the arrangement could help connect utility systems with customer-owned flexibility assets while keeping the boundary between the two clearer.

"For the first time, this liaison will create a clear bridging option between smart metering systems and customer-owned flexibility resources. OpenADR strives to keep the customer in charge of the equipment they own and have paid for. We do, however, recognise the need to incorporate systems with larger consumption into a tighter control mechanism. Bridging DLMS and OpenADR strikes an excellent middle way to achieve both objectives," said Bienert.