DLMS UA and OpenADR Alliance cooperate on data exchange at the grid edge

The agreement is aimed at supporting seamless data exchange between the DLMS/COSEM standard for secure smart meter data exchange and OpenADR’s two-way signalling for demand response and distributed energy resources (DER) for flexibility services. 

As utilities modernise their grid operations and scale DERs and energy flexibility programmes, clearly defined interfaces between regulated utility infrastructure and the unregulated dynamic home and building energy management environments are becoming essential.

By connecting a standardised data model with standardised flexibility signalling, the liaison should provide a foundation for scalable, interoperable implementations while preserving architectural flexibility and market choice. 

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Sergio Lazzarotto, President of the DLMS UA, describes the approach as marking an important step toward strengthening interoperability at the grid edge. 

“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.” 

Rolf Bienert, Managing and Technical Director of the OpenADR Alliance, adds that for the first time, the liaison creates 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.” 

Under the agreement, the DLMS UA and OpenADR Alliance can exchange technical information, review and comment on draft work, set up ad hoc technical task forces and coordinate technical activities that advance practical, interoperable, standards-based solutions for flexibility services and consumer energy insights. 

Targeted work areas that are due to be focused on include technical mapping, international standardisation pathways, certification coordination and practical solutions for industry adoption. 

A key area is to develop a structured mapping between the COSEM and OpenADR data models to ensure consistent interpretation of relevant information across the utility-to-edge interface. 

Other activities include working towards the creation of one or several working group(s) within international standards development organisations to publish and maintain the standardised mapping and assessing the potential benefits of transporting DLMS/COSEM over OpenADR, including use cases involving data with metrological relevance. 

The organisations also intend to coordinate certification processes, where appropriate, although each will continue to manage its own certification schemes as well as programmes independently. 

The agreement is one of a growing number by the DLMS UA as it strives to advance data interoperability and standardisation across utilities. Other recent agreements have included the STS Association on prepayment metering, the SWAN Forum on smart water technologies, the WIZE Alliance on gas and water smart metering over Wize networks and the OMS group also for the water and gas industries. 

The DLMS UA also has introduced the concept of ‘generic companion profiles’ providing a selection of features and functionalities to meet the requirements of various use cases, among these so far including AC electricity smart metering, water smart metering and EV charging stations. 

For its part, the OpenADR Alliance's latest OpenADR 3 specification has seen the first products certified and the release of version 3.1, including adjustments requested by the industry and support of the MQTT IoT messaging profile for subscription models.

In this interview, filmed in November 2025 at Enlit Europe in Bilbao, SpainDLMS UA President Sergio Lazzarotto discusses how DLMS GCPs unlock interoperability between legacy systems and digital platforms, enable secure edge data access for flexibility services, and expand standardised communication to smart water networks, a clear vision for secure, standards-based digital transformation.