I would imagine that, when the time comes, something similar will be set up with IPv6, with maybe IETF, who has/is developing IPv6, handling the addresses. If any devices, smart grid devices included, are going to get an IP Address, it is going to have to wait for a broader adoption of IPv6- and that may take years! Through NAT (Network Address Translation) and other techniques, we have been able to forestall the end of the IPv4 addressing, so there is a lot of inertia not to change. Eventually, we will have to, but I do not think it is going to happen quickly. That said, individual companies could set up their own networks with either IPv4 or IPv6, just like they do now. So, for example, a utility company could set up their own internal network of Smart Meters with IPv6, with maybe someway for the meter to identify a homeowner’s appliances and give them temporary IP Addresses- much like current, internal networks for almost all businesses.

So, at least for now, what Appliance companies like GE might need to consider, is what do they need to implement into their appliances that a Smart Meter can use, whether it is an appliance identifier, or a means to accept an identifier, like an IP Address. Of course, then you do not have a National Network of Smart Grids talking to each other And this is not necessarilly a bad thing- a utility company, again much like a large business today, can keep their network structure private and thus more secure. Frankly, the idea of a National Network, given the exploits of today’s hackers, is a scary idea to me.