Smart Grid Testing

With growing focus on making the electrical grid smarter and with different standards supporting such initiative, it is apparent that interoperability of the components in the overall smart grid system would be a challenge. Keeping this in mind, I will summarize my learning on different offering that are there in the market to address this interoperability.

1. http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120111005874/en: EnerNex Smart Grid Labs (http://www.enernex.com/sgl/services/) provides testing facility for end-to-end Smart Grid device interoperability. Covering six domains, the Lab features a variety of pre-conformance, pre-certification, evaluation, and testing to support the following domains: security, consumer, grid, communication, metering, command and control. The independent facility simulates a utility substation, control center, residential or light commercial service entrance, residential utility room (washer, dryer, water heater), kitchen, and a living space. I think this is a good reference for any system integrator to build a similar lab.

2. http://collaborate.nist.gov/twiki-sggrid/bin/view/SmartGrid/SmartGridTestingAndCertificationCommittee – this is probably a starting point to define the test cases for interoperability testing?

Few other details that I have noted:

• Tools useful in such labs: power system simulation tools such as EMTP-RV, ATP, Digsilent, PSCAD/EMTDC, PSS/E, GE PSLF, Simulink for Power Systems, ETAP, Cape, OpenDSS, SuperHarm, etc.
• What to look for in the testing: harmonic analysis, transient analysis, temporary overvoltage/overcurrent analysis, ground fault settings, arc flash studies, short circuit studies, and simple protective device coordination, perform data analysis related to distributed generation and power quality

M2M Biz Challenges

http://www.ericsson.com/news/110826_telenor_connexion_244188809_c

Couple of very insightful information in the article. I think having an efficient solution for each of these points is very important to tap M2M market potential.

• M2M business is characterized by a low average revenue per device, so that means the aim is for operators to pursue high volumes and keep cost down

• M2M platform should facilitate operators’ charging and provisioning of SIM cards in a more cost efficient way e.g., pool of SIM cards pre-activated in HLR/SIM inventory system, virtual MSISDN number (may be with overdecadic digits), concept of daily credit etc

• Allowing enterprise and vertical-industry customers to manage their own devices, including activation and monitoring; also firmware?

Google Power Meter

http://www.google.com/powermeter/about/partnerships.html

Another initiative from Google that offers a cloud based energy monitoring for the end user. Google powermeter API help to connect either directly with the smart meters or to the meter data management hub. Pulled data would then can be viewed through iGoogle gadget. So going forward, if each meter gets shown on Google map, then it would help the smart meter field support personnel to locate the faulty meter. Also if the TV at home has Google TV and if it can communicate with smart meter over DLAN (provided by companies like devolvo AG), then Google can get more precise information of subscriber usage (entertainment, energy) and can offer more targeted ads to such users. Very well thought of initiative.

Smart Metering & Smart Grid

http://www.emeter.com/2010/smart-meters-vs-smart-grids/ - “smart meters are a part of Smart Grids”

Qualifying a meter as ‘smart’ – M2M towards server side & toward smart thermostats, in-home displays, smart appliances and smart equipment in customer homes and businesses; recording of interval data on energy usage; delivery of data to the utility at least daily; a disconnect switch; power quality sensing (voltage)

Capabilities required at the smart grid server side:

• Rating & billing: time-based pricing options, dyamic rating, such as Peak Time Rebates and Time-of-Use prices, and detailed energy usage, cost, and carbon information, including monthly usage and bill to date
• QoS: manage line voltage and line losses
• Command control: automated sensors and devices on power lines and in substations for remote monitoring and control of the grid, more efficient operations, greater reliability through automatic restoration after outages (“self-healing”)
• Demand response: peak load reduction through demand-response programs – from the issuance of electronic price and reliability signals initiating DR events, to the site‐specific DR strategies that control customer end‐use loads, through the use of energy management control systems (http://www.auto-dr.com/)
• Privacy: grid data privacy
• Business processes – meter-to-cash, trouble-to-resolve
• Metrics to measure as part of the dashboard – http://www.emeter.com/2011/how-to-measure-the-success-of-the-smart-grid/