Seoul, April 17, 2012 – STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of consumer electronics applications, today announced that it has started sampling its new STM32W single-chip wireless microcontroller for the next generation of smart grid standards.

The new microcontrollers being released this week will be used to reduce power outages and carbon emissions, as well as support future lifestyles such as plug-in electric vehicles.

STM32W microcontrollers are among the first IEEE802.15.4-certified platforms to support the latest ZigBee® Smart Energy Profile Version 2.0 (SEP 2.0), which defines eco-friendly smart grid scenarios. It also uses a stack (ZigBeeIP) based on the latest Internet Protocol (IPv6), which expands interoperability between different manufacturers and in physical-layer deployments. Among the many SEP 2.0 advancements, the STM32W enables energy-saving homes and buildings by adopting prepaid services, load management, and energy demand management.

Connected equipment such as energy meters and infrastructure monitors, smart grid products and various devices with embedded microcontrollers such as STM32W, improve network stability while reducing peak load and energy consumption. In addition, they improve the management of various renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.

The US Department of Energy reports that smart grid applications could reduce carbon emissions from the US utility industry by as much as 12%, the equivalent of shutting down 66 conventional coal-fired power plants.

ST’s STM32W enables development of SEP 2.0-compliant smart-grid applications with extended memory up to 256KB, high code density, and an ARM® Cortex™-M3 processor core. In addition, an on-chip IEEE 802.15.4-certified radio, as well as two 16-bit timers, a cryptographic accelerator, and a 12-bit ADC, are useful features for designers developing cost-effective standalone wireless sensor and control solutions.

Using STM32W as the foundation for new wireless products ensures excellent connectivity with other STM32 microcontrollers. In addition, STM32W with STM32 DNA uses the same ARM Cortex-M3 processor core and ensures compatibility with the wide range of STM32 families. STM32W with STM32 DNA is also supported by STM32 development tools. In addition, the STM32 developer online community provides additional support, expertise, and third-party tools.

[Key Features of STM32W]
• Excellent IEEE 802.15.4 wireless performance
• Advanced power management features of ARM Cortex-M3
• Competitive pricing across the entire STM32W family
• Meet diverse application requirements with a wide memory footprint
• Various support
o License-free IEEE802.15.4 protocol stack and library
o Three complementary development kits
• True single-chip solution

The STM32W is sampling to select customers now, priced at $2.05 for the 64KB Flash version and $2.91 for the 256KB Flash version in 1,000-piece quantities. All products are available in a 48-pin QFN48 package, with a lower-density 40-pin QFN40 option also available.