Historically, progress occurs when many entities communicate, share information, and together create something that no one individual could do alone. Moving beyond people to machines and systems, interoperability is the capability of systems or devices to provide and receive services and information between each other, and to use the services and information exchanged to operate effectively together in predictable ways without significant user intervention. Systems composed of advanced devices and applications require an interchange process that utilizes well-defined interfaces for the transfer of information between components and to simplify the integration process. When people talk about the “modernized” or “smart” grid, interoperability is a necessary foundation of that concept. Within the electricity system, interoperability enables the seamless, end-to-end connectivity of hardware and software from the customers’ equipment and systems to the power sources. This includes traditional power generation transmitted through the Transmission and Distribution system’s coordination of energy flows supported by real-time flows of information and analysis.
