Five new IEEE standards activities address a variety of communications and operational needs for today’s and tomorrow’s smart grids

Shuang Yu, Marketing Manager
+1 732 981 3424; shuang.yu@ieee.org

PISCATAWAY, N.J., USA, 26 September 2012 - IEEE, the world's largest professional organization advancing technology for humanity, today announced updates to four standards and a new standards-development project that provide new communications and operational capabilities needed for smart grid worldwide. The new standards activities are among the latest smart grid contributions to come from the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA), which has a portfolio of 100 standards and standards in development pertaining to this vitally important industry.

“IEEE is continually updating its standards and developing new standards to address the needs of utilities around the world as they integrate new technologies and upgrade their systems to meet current and future operational and service objectives for smart grids,” said Bill Ash, strategic program manager, IEEE-SA. “These latest IEEE standards activities underscore the importance for new standards to support the growth and evolution of the smart grid industry globally.”

The latest IEEE smart grid standards include:

• IEEE 1815™-2012 – Standard for Electric Power Systems Communications – Distributed Network Protocol (DNP3) – specifies the DNP3 protocol structure, functions and interoperable application options for operation on communications media used in utility automation systems. It revises the earlier standard, IEEE 1815™-2010, by updating its protocols to address and help mitigate current and emerging digital cybersecurity hazards that could affect the communications systems used in smart grids and other infrastructure, including power, energy and water systems. IEEE 1815™-2012 is available for purchase at the IEEE Standards Store.
• IEEE 1366™-2012 – IEEE Guide for Electric Power Distribution Reliability Indices – defines the distribution reliability nomenclature and indices that utilities and regulators can use to characterize the reliability of distribution systems, substations, circuits and grid sections. It also defines the factors affecting the calculation of the indices. The standard revises the earlier standard, IEEE 1366™-2003, by including new indices that can be used today and in the future on smart grid and other distribution systems. It also updates several definitions that were used in the previous standard. IEEE 1366™-2012 is available for purchase at the IEEE Standards Store.
• IEEE 1377™-2012 – IEEE Standard for Utility Industry Metering Communication Protocol Application Layer (End Device Data Tables) – provides common structures for encoding data that is transmitted over advanced metering infrastructure and smart grids. It can be used to transmit data between smart meters, home appliances, network nodes that use the IEEE 1703™ LAN/WAN messaging standard, and utility enterprise collection and control systems. The standard revises IEEE-1377™-1977. It is co-published as ANSI C12.19 and MC12.19. IEEE 1377™-2012 is available for purchase at the IEEE Standards Store.
• IEEE C37.104™-2012 – IEEE Guide for Automatic Reclosing of Circuit Breakers for AC Distribution and Transmission Lines – describes automatic reclosing practices for transmission and distribution line circuit breakers, establishes the benefits of automatic reclosing, and details the considerations utilities must use when applying automatic reclosing technologies for proper coordination with other transmission and distribution system controls. It revises the IEEE C37.104™-2002 standard by incorporating new smart grid communications technologies that may affect utility automatic reclosing practices. IEEE C37.104™-2012 is available for purchase at the IEEE Standards Store.

Additionally, IEEE-SA has approved a new standards development project to categorize and describe applications that are being considered as part of smart distribution system development and distribution management systems for smart grids. The IEEE P1854™ – Guide for Smart Distribution Applications will categorize the applications, describe their critical functions, define their most important components and provide examples. The terminology and descriptions used for these systems have previously not been standardized, which makes it difficult to develop specifications for these functions as part of planning and developing smart distribution systems. IEEE P1854™ will fill that standards gap. The guide will be a living document that will expand and grow as smart distribution technologies and applications change over time. For more information, visit the IEEE P1854™ Web site.

To learn more about IEEE-SA, visit us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or connect with us on the Standards Insight Blog.

About the IEEE Standards Association
The IEEE Standards Association, a globally recognized standards-setting body within IEEE, develops consensus standards through an open process that engages industry and brings together a broad stakeholder community. IEEE standards set specifications and best practices based on current scientific and technological knowledge. The IEEE-SA has a portfolio of over 900 active standards and more than 500 standards under development. For more information visit the IEEE-SA website.

About IEEE IEEE, the world's largest technical professional association, is dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Through its highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities, IEEE is the trusted voice on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics. Learn more at the IEEE website.

Publication: Government Technology
Issue: September, 2012

Not only is Massoud Amin a scholar and educator, he’s also considered the “father of the smart grid.” He’s a professor at the University of Minnesota, where he directs the Technological Leadership Institute, and he’s worked on research and development projects for a wide range of systems, including power grids, aviation and ground traffic control, Department of Defense logistic networks, and more. Read more

Date: September 11, 2012
Publication: Energy Collective
Title: Technology transforms the Utility Business Model
Author: Steven Collier

In my first two blogs for The Energy Collective I talked about how utilities should deploy automation via sensors and controls on the distribution grid to maximize efficiency and reliability instead of relying solely on customers to stop using electricity anytime that they want based on complex price signals. I discussed how a smarter distribution grid will make it much more convenient and effective for retail customers to participate in demand response. Read more

Publication: Pipeline
Author: Sam Sciacca

As utilities build more sophisticated power grids, they will require new, improved data networks for a variety of roles, many of which could be served by telecom providers.

Because these two industries have different market drivers and technology paths, they have had an uneasy history of collaboration. But developments on both sides have produced new opportunities. Read more

Publication: Government Technology
Issue: August, 2012

Massoud Amin is director of the University of Minnesota’s Technological Leadership Institute, an organization dedicated to forming connections between engineering, science, business and technology. Amin, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, recently was listed as a mover and a shaker in the smart grid industry by GreenTech Media. He is also chairman of the IEEE Smart Grid Newsletter. In an abridged email interview, Amin discusses the smart grid with Government Technology. Read more

IEEE Approves Dozens of Standards and Standards-development Activities

Shuang Yu, Marketing Manager
+1 732 981 3424; shuang.yu@ieee.org

PISCATAWAY, N.J., USA, 15 August 2012 — IEEE, the world's largest professional organization advancing technology for humanity, today announced dozens of new, revised and reaffirmed standards and standards-development projects. Detailed information on the standards and projects recently approved by the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA) Standards Board is available at the IEEE Standards Board Approval Web page.

Among the new standards that have been published is IEEE 2200™ – Standard Protocol for Stream Management in Media Client Devices. By defining interfaces for intelligently distributing and replicating content over heterogeneous networks, the standard is designed to support the delivery of rich media (such as high-definition and three-dimensional content) to portable devices in a way that is not limited by cost and available network bandwidth. IEEE 2200 is available for purchase at the IEEE Standards Store.

Newly published revised standards include:

• IEEE 802.16™ – Standard for local and metropolitan area networks Part 16: Air Interface for Broadband Wireless Access Systems. The standard is designed to support rapid worldwide deployment of innovative, cost-effective and interoperable products from multiple vendors for broadband wireless access (BWA), facilitating competition by providing alternatives to wireline broadband access, encouraging consistent worldwide spectrum allocations and accelerating commercialization of BWA systems. This standard specifies the air interface, including the medium access control and physical layers (MAC and PHY), of combined fixed and mobile point-to-multipoint BWA systems. IEEE 802.16 is available for purchase at the IEEE Standards Store.
• IEEE P1703™ – Standard for Local Area Network/Wide Area Network (LAN/WAN) Node Communication Protocol to complement the Utility Industry End Device Data Tables – is intended to improve the cost efficiency and flexibility of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) deployments. The standard is being developed to define uniform, managed, adaptive and secure network data and message delivery for plug-and-play, multi-source utility meters, home appliances, communication technology and other ancillary devices.
• IEEE 1815™ – Standard for Electric Power Systems Communications - Distributed Network Protocol (DNP3). The standard is intended to extend DNP3 protocol structure, functions and interoperable application options for the smart grid. It is designed to provide flexible support of varied applications from low-cost distribution feeder devices to full-featured systems. IEEE 1815 is available for purchase at the IEEE Standards Store.
• IEEE C37.104™ – Guide for Automatic Reclosing of Circuit Breakers for AC Distribution and Transmission Lines. The standard describes present practices automatic reclosing control of circuit breakers on both transmission and distribution lines, as well as application considerations and coordination practices. IEEE C37.104 is available for purchase at the IEEE Standards Store.

IEEE-SA also reaffirmed standards, including IEEE 139™-1988 (R2006) – Recommended Practice for the Measurement of Radio Frequency Emission from Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) Equipment Installed on User's Premises. The standard describes procedures for inspection and radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic field measurement in evaluating equipment such as dielectric and induction industrial heaters, medical diathermy, ultrasonic equipment, RF plasma devices and RF stabilized welders. These procedures are designed to help ensure that the equipment does not interfere with radio communications, navigation and other essential radio services. IEEE 139 is available for purchase at the IEEE Standards Store.

Among the standards-development projects that IEEE-SA approved is IEEE P2030.4™ – Draft Guide for Control and Automation Installations Applied to the Electric Power Infrastructure. When completed, this document is designed to provide guidance in applying the smart grid interoperability reference model (SGIRM) of IEEE 2030 – Guide for Smart Grid Interoperability of Energy Technology and Information Technology Operation with the Electric Power System (EPS), and End-Use Applications and Loads – in the development of control and automation components for the smart grid. IEEE P2030.4 is planned to outline the requirements of designing control and automation applications while adhering to a common open architecture.

To learn more about IEEE-SA, visit us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or connect with us on the Standards Insight Blog.

About the IEEE Standards Association
The IEEE Standards Association, a globally recognized standards-setting body within IEEE, develops consensus standards through an open process that engages industry and brings together a broad stakeholder community. IEEE standards set specifications and best practices based on current scientific and technological knowledge. The IEEE-SA has a portfolio of over 900 active standards and more than 500 standards under development. For more information visit the IEEE-SA website.

About IEEE
IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional association, is dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Through its highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities, IEEE is the trusted voice on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics. Learn more at the IEEE website.

Last month I succeeded in provoking considerable discussion around the notion that the power industry needs to wring efficiencies from the grid, not just hector customers to change their behavior – “rationing,” as one of my colleagues has put it. And I suggested that one way to do that is by deploying advanced sensors and controls – i.e., intelligence – throughout the grid on the utilities’ side of the meter. Today I want to develop that idea further. Read More

Great Lakes Symposium on Smart Grid and the New Energy Economy will take place from Monday, Sept. 24 – Wednesday, Sept 26 at the Illinois Institute of Technology Campus, Chicago, Ill. Smart grid and microgrid developers, investors, utilities, technology providers, consumer advocates and policymakers are encouraged to attend. Hosted and technically co-sponsored by the Robert W. Galvin Center for Electricity Innovation at the Illinois Institute of Technology and it also technically co-sponsored by the IEEE. Early Bird Registration is open now through August 15, 2012. REGISTER TODAY.

Student Video Competition

Submit a Smart Grid video for a chance to win $500!

We invite students to submit a video presenting fresh and original views, which may stimulate the research community. In particular, we welcome short videos (duration: 1 to max. 3 minutes), which present original visions in either one of the following two categories:

• Explain innovative smart grid concepts: Dream up new applications, user interfaces, technologies, scenario’s enabling, or enabled by, smart grids. These should be at least conceptually explained; providing some technical solutions is not mandatory, but can be a plus. For example, describe a new smart phone app that allows to monitor your energy profile and provide incentives to reduce your energy usage (or stimulates use of “green energy” coming from renewable sources).
• Showcase benefits of smart grids: i.e. why do we believe smart grids are necessary, what challenges do smart grid concepts/technologies solve, etc.? For example, provide some quantification of energy requirements for electrical car charging and an how to deal with it using an appropriate control mechanism. Read more

Publication: Today's Engineer
Issue: August, 2012

Twice this year San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has been recognized for its Smart Grid network. So it was fitting that it served as host utility for the 2012 IEEE Power & Energy Society General Meeting. Read more