OpenADR Alliance sees record global growth as energy evolves

The OpenADR Alliance has reported a significant increase in global membership as the utility sector adapts to the rise of distributed energy resources and evolving energy management systems.

Nearly 60 organisations have joined the OpenADR Alliance over the past year, marking the fastest growth rate since the organisation's establishment 15 years ago. This surge, averaging about one new member each week, underscores a period of rapid change across the energy industry, particularly in regions such as Asia, where over a third of new members hail from Japan, China, and Korea. Membership gains have also been recorded in Europe and North America.

Global adoption

The adoption of open communication standards is becoming increasingly recognised worldwide, with several governments and policymakers specifying such standards for energy demand flexibility requirements. Across Europe, nations have selected OpenADR as their technology standard for demand side flexibility. In the United Kingdom, the Energy Networks Association has moved to specify use of OpenADR, while Japan has introduced additional requirements for OpenADR usage. In the United States, California authorities are developing OpenADR 3 to address dynamic pricing communications needs.

Virtual power plants and diverse membership

As the OpenADR ecosystem has developed, its membership has broadened beyond its traditional base of utilities and control manufacturers. New members include organisations focused on energy-efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, battery storage, and electric vehicle charging platforms. The Alliance is also witnessing the entry of startups involved in advanced grid-interactive building technologies and building energy management systems (BEMS).

The expansion of the virtual power plant (VPP) market is another factor driving growth. According to industry projections, the VPP sector is expected to increase from USD $5.6 billion in 2025 to USD $39.5 billion by 2035. Early implementations of OpenADR in VPPs centred on rooftop solar and energy storage systems, but recent trends show a shift toward broader cross-technology integration, including work on AI-based predictive load balancing and new solutions for solar system management.

"Our membership has grown consistently in response to industry developments and innovations. But this is happening on a whole new scale as the utility sector evolves to manage a greater number of distributed energy resources, whether that's EVs, energy storage, renewables or demand response capabilities. We've seen a lot of interest in the last 12 to 18 months with an influx of companies looking to tackle different aspects of energy management and optimisation."

Key milestones

Several prominent businesses have joined the Alliance this year, including Ennowell, Edo, Shadow Power, LOXONE, and DynaChrge, each focusing on areas ranging from smart building management to advanced electric vehicle charging solutions. Notable US water heating technology firms such as A. O. Smith and Bradford White have also become members, alongside American Standard Water Heaters, Rheem Manufacturing Brands - Commercial, LG Electronics, Rinnai America Corporation, and ECO2 Systems.

The Alliance introduced OpenADR 3 in 2023, and since then, a number of certified products have been launched. Companies such as E.ON Energy Networks, EVoke Systems, Universal Devices, and, more recently, mwConnect have announced solutions meeting the new certification. There are currently 335 certified OpenADR products available on the market, with specifications downloaded by more than 5,000 companies globally.

One of the significant developments in 2025 was the publication of specification version 3.1.0. This update introduced several industry-requested changes and added support for MQTT, a communication protocol widely used in the Internet of Things (IoT) sector, particularly for subscription models. With this update, OpenADR is reportedly one of the few-if not the only-industry standard capable of supporting this communication model.

This year, the Alliance also introduced a new open specification that allows OpenADR to work with Matter, an emerging standard for connected home devices. This enables grid demand response solutions designed for mass-market use, unlocking energy flexibility features in household appliances, electric vehicle chargers, water heaters, and solar and battery storage systems. Service providers and smart appliance manufacturers are expected to benefit from these developments as the market for responsive home energy solutions grows.

Certification and collaboration initiatives

The EcoPort certification, based on the CTA-2045 standard, is being increasingly adopted by manufacturers and recognised by regulatory authorities. In several US states, all newly sold electric storage water heaters must now include the CTA-2045 communications capability. This requirement points to an expanding regulatory push for compatibility and interoperability in connected energy devices.

In Europe, the Alliance is collaborating with a variety of standards bodies and policy organisations. This work involves agencies such as the UK's Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, which recently included OpenADR in two British Standards Institution (BSI) standards, and cooperation with the Energy Networks Association, National Energy System Operator, EEBUS in Germany, and Smart Energy Europe (smartEn).