Smart Grid Infrastructure

Distribution network operators must optimize existing network operation processes. AMI combines metering and management of distribution networks in one system. As a Smart Grid solution it acquires data and information on prosumers, special contract customers and the distribution network infrastructure and transmits them to a control centre. This allows distribution network operators to optimize essential key processes and offers new services and data to their customers, both on the supplier as well as the consumer/prosumer side.

control energy supply to a steadily growing number of prosumers, and to ensure better power quality.

4.3.7.3 Requirements

Smart Grid Infrastructure takes a special position as it serves as an intersystem interface between the distribution network on the one side and smart metering, building automation, industry automation, e-mobility and distributed energy resources on the other. Together with smart metering it is also a key function of the Demand Response solution.

System requirements

Smart Grid Infrastructure must meet the following functions:

– Distribution network monitoring – Power quality monitoring – Fraud detection

– Load leveling

– Demand response functions – New business models – Record capacity utilization – Minimization of down time – Load/source-shedding

– Management & control of energy (re)sources – Remote Switching procedures

– Customer information – Asset Management

In addition the usual security and quality of the supply must be maintained.

Product requirements

AMI devices must fulfill certain requirements regarding accuracy, safety and reliability.

Security

Cyber security, especially privacy issues, are a major requirement. This will include local deviating regulation by authorities.

Communication requirements

Communication between different domains is an essential part of Smart Grid Infrastructure.

Input and output of a smart grid device as an interface between different automation domains (power automation, business models, building automation etc.) must be specified. Data models and protocols capable of supporting the smart grid/meter functions in all domains must be developed.

4.3.7.4 Existing Standards Product standards

IEC/TR 62051, Electricity metering - Glossary of terms

IEC 61968-9, Application integration at electric utilities – System interfaces for distribution management – Part 9: Interfaces for meter reading and control

Transport level – remote transmission

Each of the different methods has their pros and cons. No single method will be the method of choice under all circumstances:

PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network

IEC/TR 61334, Distribution automation using distribution line carrier systems (PLC) GPRS General Packet Radio Service

GSM/CSD Circuit Switched Data

WIMAX Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access based on IEEE 802.11 Usage of IP

Primary communication within the building

In the connection to building automation a number of standards are in use, with a lot of regional differences:

ISO 16484-5, Building automation and control systems - Part 5: data communication protocol ISO/IEC 14543-3, Information technology - Home Electronic System (HES) architecture

EN 13321 series, Open data communication in building automation, controls and building management - Home and building electronic systems

EN 50090 series, Home and building electronic systems (HBES)

EN 50428, Switches for household and similar fixed electrical installations - Collateral standard - Switches and related accessories for use in home and building electronic systems (HBES)

EN 50491 series, General requirements for Home and Building Electronic Systems (HBES) and Building Automation and Control Systems (BACS)

China: GB/Z 20965, Information technology - Home Electronic System (HES) architecture USA: ANSI/ASHRAE 135, BACnet - A Data Communication Protocol for Building Automation and Control Networks

Security

Security on the power grid level is described in IEC 62351.

Pricing information

Price information must be available on all levels of the Energy Marketplace (EMS-DMS-Smart Metering).

For metering, the UN/EDIFACT (United Nations Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, commerce and Transport) standard is mainly used. UN/EDIFACT is an international standard for exchanging business data. EDIFACT specifies syntax rules.

Building on that, MSCONS (Metered Services Consumption Report Message) defines data sets for the exchange of meter billing information. EDIFACT/MSCONS is currently concentrated on automated meter reading. A wider concept with flexible tariffs will need the inclusion of pricing information through other channels.

IEC/TR 62325, Framework for energy market communications

IEC/TR 62325-501, Framework for energy market communications - Part 501: General guidelines for use of ebXML

IEC 62325 does not standardize market communication. It applies the ebXML standard of UN/CEFACT on the energy market and the required market information. The goal is to provide a standard alternative to the proprietary information standards used otherwise: EDIFACT, X12 etc. and to provide an open, technology-independent framework.

The variety of protocols and standards used is quite large in the sector. However a concentration on using UML on the modeling side can be observed. Combined with the further advancement of the CIM (Common Information Model) of IEC 61970 and IEC 61968, a roadmap for implementing pricing models would be available.

EMC

IEC 60870-2-1, Telecontrol equipment and systems - Part 2: Operating conditions - Section 1:

Power supply and electromagnetic compatibility

IEC 61000-3-8, Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) - Part 3: Limits - Section 8: Signalling on low-voltage electrical installations - Emission levels, frequency bands and electromagnetic disturbance levels

CISPR 22, Information technology equipment - Radio disturbance characteristics - Limits and methods of measurement

Limit values are important for several preferred transport methods.

A product standard for meters exists in Europe including EMC: EN 50470-1, Electricity metering equipment (a.c.) - Part 1: General requirements, tests and test conditions - Metering equipment (class indexes A, B, and C)

General

IEC 61000-4-30, Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) – Part 4-30: Testing and measurement techniques – Power quality measurement methods

Other standards in use

EN 13757, Communication systems for remote reading of meters. Physical and link layer (M-Bus)

M-Bus (Metering Bus) is a European standard for meter data reading and defines a bus-system with serial communication. M-Bus has been extended to a wireless variant in the 900 MHz frequency band. Other transport media can also be addressed. However it is far from a “Plug and Play” capability. Being widespread in Europe, M-Bus is capable of automatic meter reading and communication between meters in a building complex. Revision of EN 13757 is currently in progress.

E-DIN 43863-4 IP, IP Telemetric Protocol ANSI C 12.18

ANSI C12.18 is widespread in the US and is applied for automatic meter reading. ANSI C 12.18 specifies a local optical data exchange, C12.21 data exchange via modem and ANSI C12.22 specifies the data exchange to Communication networks.

ANSI C12.18-2006, Protocol Specification for ANSI Type 2 Optical Port ANSI C12.19-1997, Utility Industry End Device Data Tables

ANSI C12.21-2006, Protocol Specification for Telephone Modem Communication

ANSI C12.22 (working draft), Protocol Specification for Interfacing to Data Communications Networks

AMI-SEC Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and Smart Grid end-to-end security

4.3.7.5 Gaps

The main problem in AMI is the existence of a number of parallel and even conflicting standards. Subsets of common semantics must be defined. The question of how to describe a common set of cross-cutting requirements within these standards to facilitate exchange of confidential and authentic information across standards must be solved.

Regarding the IEC standards alone, the current protocols and data exchange standards (DLMS/COSEM) are concentrated on meter data exchange with AMR units and do not fulfill all the requirements posed by Smart Grid. This includes functions such as power quality support, fraud detection and load/source-shedding.

These functions are a domain of the overall power automation, which is currently only loosely coupled to the meter domain.

In power automation a metering object description must be present. This should be consistent with the DLMS/COSEM standards. Currently that is not realized.

The different domains (Energy Market, Transmission and Distribution, Distributed Energy (Re)sources, Building, Industry, E-Mobility) need to define common interfaces. This is currently not supported by standards.

4.3.7.6 Recommendation Recommendation S-AMI-1

TC 13 and TC 57 should work on the necessary expansions. A clear separation of work should be promoted: TC 13 (Electrical energy measurement, tariff- and load control) should be responsible for defining the meter functions, and TC 57 (Power systems management and associated information exchange) should be responsible for defining the communication functions for smart grid and smart meters.

Recommendation S-AMI-2

IEC 61850 should be expanded to include the DLMS/COSEM objects. This would require no extensions or changes in DLMS and would promote the coexistence of meter and smart grid application. The TC 57 framework needs to be expanded to include metering data in any case. Basing that on DLMS/COSEM would pose the advantage of implementing a standard object description instead of proprietary metering protocol.

Recommendation S-AMI-3

The different functions of automation, automated meter reading and communication systems must be brought together at the interface of the smart grid device (including meter and other AMI devices). A set of objects and profiles should be described and standardized in order to give guidelines for paths to interoperability of these domains. This task should be performed jointly by TC 8, TC 13 and TC 57. In order to enable an interface to building and home automation, a liaison to ISO TC 205 and ISO/IEC JTC 1 should be sought.

TC 57 has already developed a method to prove conformity to its standards through the means of UCA interoperability tests and conformance testing is available for DLMS/COSEM from DLMS UA. This would be a way to limit the often wide scope of standards to a set of interoperable functions, which can be supported by standards.

Recommendation S-AMI-4

A close cooperation with the “demand response” activities is needed. Here use cases must be defined in order to specify the scope and involvement of the different stakeholders. For example the contribution of smart appliances or building automation systems needs to be described in order to define their share in the overall systems.

4.3.7.7 Smart Metering