Mountain View, CA, U.S.A. --- (METERING.COM) --- May 2, 2008 – ZigBee is ready for mass adoption and ‘green’ energy mandates provide a likely driver while ZigBee itself emerges as the tool of choice for advanced meter infrastructures, according to market research firm WTRS.

Energy mandates will drive the convergence of ZigBee-based home automation and control applications with AMI (advanced meter infrastructure) applications. Automated meters will work in both dimensions, saving significant reading costs for the utilities and offer structured rate formulations. At the same time AMI allows the consumer/user himself to drastically channel energy uses to precise need times and volumes.

"The ZigBee-enabled HVAC controller in a consumer's home will be able to connect wirelessly to the ZigBee-enabled power meter, creating a use case for the consumer that includes being able to monitor individual power consumption," said Kirsten West, principal analyst of WTRS. "As these systems become more sophisticated they will make individual power cost settings possible on any given day, and allow the system to adjust its heating, air conditioning, and even lighting conditions to meet that price. Thus ZigBee has the potential to become the standard for automation and control in both the home and energy sectors."

The WTRS ZigBee Emerging Technology Report Spring 2008 findings answer:

• What are the competitive factors between ZigBee and proprietary wireless implementations?
• How will ZigBee adopt into eleven potential market segments?
• What are the market drivers and inhibitors for ZigBee today?
• How will the maturation of ZigBee-related development tools accelerate adoption?
• What role do energy mandates play in stimulating ZigBee market adoption?
• Is ZigBee ready for mass adoption?

WTRS published the first study of ZigBee Markets in 2003 and has continued to develop their reports on ZigBee and wireless sensor networks.