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Accurate energy consumption data is vital for companies aiming for climate-neutral production. In support of this goal, ODVA, OPC Foundation, PI, and VDMA have partnered to jointly release version 1.0.0 of a specification to help provide more efficient, interoperable energy management in industrial and process automation. Chaired by the VDMA, this work ties into broader sustainability objectives, such as the European Green Deal, which targets climate neutrality by 2050.
The new specification is based on a standardized OPC UA information model, enabling:
Monitoring: Recording and displaying all forms of energy consumption, not only electrical energy, but also energy from other sources, such as air, water, and coal.
Standby Management: Defining and controlling energy-saving modes for machines and components.
Built on findings from the IoTEnRG research project, this specification brings research-driven insights directly into industrial applications. This alignment between academia and industry helps to accelerate the development process.
What helps to make this release particularly relevant is its focus on actionable implementation. Many companies have struggled with how to move from broad ESG ambitions to daily operational change. With this new standard now available, energy efficiency becomes something that is measurable, not just aspirational.
The specification also lays the foundation for a new energy management building block within the VDMA’s existing “OPC UA for Machinery” framework. This modular approach helps manufacturers to integrate sustainability tools more easily across different systems, enabling more consistent adoption of energy-saving practices.
In a sector where environmental goals can be difficult to operationalize, this standard provides a more practical framework that better aligns sustainability efforts with existing industrial processes in a more consistent and measurable way.
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