The Australian Energy Market Commission today released its draft advice on how a shared market protocol for smart meters could be implemented. A shared market protocol would define a format for the communications used between businesses seeking access to the services available from smart meters.

A shared market protocol is an important step in the reform program to establish a competitive market for services enabled by smart meters. Its development is being undertaken alongside the related rule change process on competition in metering and related services.

A shared market protocol is expected to promote competition in the market for advanced metering services by reducing barriers to entry for new energy service companies while not inhibiting innovation in the method of communications.

The draft advice released today sets out the AEMC’s draft recommendations on implementing a shared market protocol and seeks stakeholder feedback on those recommendations.

Submissions are due no later than Thursday 23 July 2015.

Stakeholder feedback will inform the development of the final advice to the COAG Energy Council on implementing a shared market protocol.

This builds on the Commission’s advice into open access and common communications standards, which recommended that a shared market protocol should be introduced. It also follows the Commission’s 2012 Power of Choice review, which set out proposed reforms to support greater participation by consumers in Australia’s electricity market.