NettedAutomation and Kinectricts offer IEC 61850 training in USA and Canada (May/June 2011)

Kinectrics and NettedAutomation will be running two IEC 61850 Seminar/Hands-on Training:

1. Toronto, Canada  - Week of May 9th, 2011 at Kinectrics IEC 61850 labs
2. Cincinnati, Ohio – Week of June 20th, 2011 in their U.S. Facility

To inquire more about the May and June Hands-on training sessions, email, Cherie Ferrari, Manager of Training at training@kinectrics.com

These will be presented with expert Karlheinz Schwarz, leader in 61850 technology and applications and featuring the BECK chip – 61850 on a chip. He will be assisted by Dr. Jian-Cheng (J.C.) Tan, Kinectrics expert in IEC 61850 Interoperability of Multi-vendor Devices and Systems.

What are Client/Server and Publisher/Subscriber in IEC 61850?

The terms Client/Server (C/S) and Publisher/Subscriber (P/S) in IEC 61850 are describing (communication) roles a real device may have. A device can play any of the four roles - even at the same time.

From an information flow point of view (independent of C/S and P/S) there are different levels of relations: (#1) the Application Layer Protocol or communication view (see first slide); (#2) the system view as seen from an IEC 61850-6 (SCL - System Configuration Language) point of view (see second slide).

(#1) First slide: A server exposes the Data (in a LD/LN) that can be accessed by the client over a TCP/IP connection - may be over Ethernet. Or the client will receive event-driven reports from the server over TCP/IP (Ethernet). This is a 1:1 connection at protocol level. A server may communicate with many clients (one TCP/IP connection between each client and server). The connection is opened by the client. Note: a real device could play both roles - in MMS an association (connection) allows both devices to play both roles (this is not yet used in IEC 61850)!

The slide also shows the publisher and subscriber. The publisher sends multicast messages that are picked-up by subscribers. The subscriber is (at communication level) NOT subscribing to the subscriber. The message is just sent and any device that has a subscriber role picks-up the messages it wants to receive. Each multicast message has an identification (let's say number 277). The publisher does NOT know who is receiving the messages. This is like picking-up a newspaper at the red traffic light in the morning. You may also subscribe to the publishing house to get the newspaper delivered to your home every morning - this is the real publishing/subscribing).

A device that has a Server can model Data (in LD/LN), e.g. status of a cirsuit breaker. This Data can be used for publishing values (by a DataSet and a Control block). Strictly speaking: a Publisher does not expose a data model. This is done by a server. The publishing service makes use of a server (explicitly or implicitly). Explicitly means: data - dataset - control block - message. Implicitly means: message - you don't see the model; it may be defined in SCL only.

(#2) From a SCL (system) point of view we can model the flow of information from a source (right), through a server/publisher, message, client/server, ... to a sink (see next slide). In SCL we are describing the information exchange between a Data in logical nodes - clients/servers are not in the main focus. SCL provides - in my words - the wiring plan of a whole system (from a source to a sink).

The services defined in IEC 61850 ACSI are listed in the third slide:

The last slide shows that clients and servers can be cascaded ... this is outside the protocols - but can be specified with SCL! SCL is a VERY powerful specification language!!

Examples of these cascaded relations are presented and discussed during the hands-on training courses of NettedAutomation ... and much more.

Summary: each device implementing all four roles defined in IEC 61850 can communicate with each other device as a client, server, publisher, and subscriber.

Experts of the USE61400-25 Users Group for IEC 61400-25 met in Fredericia (Denmark)

Many experts of he Wind Power Users Group "USE61400-25" for IEC 61400-25 (IEC 61850) met in Fredericia (Denmark) on Monday (2011-01-17) to report and discuss experiences with the application of IEC 61400-25/61850 for Wind Turbines. 28 experts (!) from 

ABB, AREVA Wind, Bachmann Electronic, DONG Energy
ENERCON, Ingeteam Technology, KEMA, Kenersys,
Mita-Teknik, Natcon7, NettedAutomation,
RE Power Systems AG, Siemens Wind Power,
Vattenfall, Vestas

met and shared the very positive experiences with the standards ... and discussed issues that need modifications and corrections.

http://use61400-25.com

Most of these experts met with IEC TC 57 WG 17 (DER) on Tuesday (2011-01-18): 39 people had been in the meeting on Tuesday to share their experiences on Wind Power and DER. WG 17 met until 2011-01-21.

What does "IEC 61850 Lite" mean?

IEC 61850 is a suite of standards. Implementations usually provide a subset of the various aspects of the many parts (IEC 61850-7-2, 7-3, 7-4, 8-1, 6, ...). There is a document in IEC 61850-7-2 that is used to list the service models and services supported by an implementation (PICS - Protocol Implementation Conformance Statement). The PICS give a good overview about the communication services.

There have been several discussions on specifying a minimum list of these PICS and name it "IEC 61850 Lite". Currently I do not see if there will ever be such a specification, because we have a variety of markets that would need different "Lite" specs. Most programmers (I have talked to the recent years) that want to integrate IEC 61850 software into their application are looking for a "lite" API (Application Program Interface) - for an easy and fast integration into their applications.

This was one of the crucial ideas SystemCorp (Perth, Western Australia, www.systemcorp.com.au) had when they started to implement a "lite" implementation. "Lite" means a - more or less - FULL set of services BUT an easy to use API accompanied by a SCL Design tool that supports designing ICD/CID documents that can directly be used to configure the information model and bind the model to the application program. The resulted easy to use package has gained a huge interest in the marked all over.

The crucial issue is to help people to get started within hours and days - not weeks and months. There is a evaluation package available that can be used on Windows. This package comes with a DLL (IEC 61850 software) and a server application (including C source code of application) and two client applications (including C and C# source code of application). You can run the evaluation right away - it is useable for 6 months.

Here is the link to find more details and how to get the kit:
http://nettedautomation.com/iec61850li/dll/index.html

The feedback from several of the more than 1,000 users of the evaluation kits shows that this seems to be a "lite" solution many had been looking for. The software runs on other platforms as well.

One interesting platform is the Beck IEC61850@CHIP - to get a very "lite" implementation:
http://nettedautomation.com/iec61850li/index.html#beck

I will be at the DistribuTech 2011 (San Diego, Febr 01-03) at booth 2822. Here you can see what a specific "Lite implementation" looks like. Come by for a visit.

IEC 61850 in the Backbone of Smart Distribution

Symposium in Darmstadt (Germany), 12th -14th April 2011

"Novel Information and Communication technologies as the back bone for Smart Distribution" has the task to bring together the 12 project teams for
a public exchange of experience and to consider solutions and results.

Objective of the Symposium: Exchange of experience between the European and German lighthouse projects.

• Information of the public, of vendors, grid operators and other stakeholders of the energy market, of universities and research institutes about the running lighthouse projects.
• Discussion of the broad dissemination of the project
  results and how to overcome the existing barriers.

Some key presentations will be on the implementation and application of IEC 61850.

Click HERE for the full program [pdf]

Applications of IEC 61850 in Europe and all over

The year 2011 started with some questions I received from an employee of a big distribution company:

1. How is the implementation of IEC 61850 here in Europe especially in German Utility Company?
2. Are there lots of substation using this IEC 61850?
3. Are there lots of success stories from utility companies around the world using this IEC 61850? 
4. Will the standard IEC 61850 do lots of revisions (editions) again in the years to come?

Here is my answer [slightly revised]:

I am happy to assist you in the domain of a very new standard composed of some quite "old" standards. The various components of IEC 61850 are:

• Ethernet -> some 30 years old
• TCP/IP   -> some 30 years old
• MMS      -> some 25 years old
• XML       -> some 15 years old
• Information Modeling -> some 25 years old

The crucial new thing is, that we have composed a comprehensive standard with many different aspects ... building a SYSTEM. This is more than a new communication protocol ...

Ok, here are my answers to your specific questions:

1. How is the implementation of IEC 61850 here in Europe especially in German Utility Company?

<KHS>
IEC 61850 is used in many utilities and many production sites like power plants, petrochemical plants, factories, ... usually turnkey substation automation systems from one vendor.
There is no question to use it or not - if there is a question then it is this issue: How to specify what utilities want and how to use the standards (in some details).
</KHS>

2. Are there lots of substation using this IEC 61850?

<KHS>
Yes, the figures I have: more than 3000 worldwide.
I have a list of SICAM PAS-projects with IEC 61850. They list 433 projects with IEC 61850 (updated October 2010).
</KHS>

3. Are there lots of success stories from utility companies around the world using this IEC 61850? 

<KHS>
Yes. Most stories are very positive. There are mainly issues with the question: What do utilities expect??!?
Utilities have to get more deeply involved in the specification of the requirements. Or they may get something they did not expect ... too much or too less ...
I have been invited many times to help utility engineers to understand what their company has ordered and what was commissioned. Often the engineers have no clue what they got - even after the substation automation systems were in operation!!
IEC 61850 is not IEC 61850 !!
In order to get what your utility want, your utility has to understand the big impact of IEC 61850 on almost everything !!! Then the people have to tell the vendor/system integrator what they want AND what they DO NOT what!!
This requires well educated utility experts ... that is usually the problem.
</KHS>

4. Will the standard IEC 61850 do lots of revisions (editions) again in the years to come?

<KHS>
No! There is little impact from new documents to be expected - the base technology is very stable, tested and in operation.
</KHS>

I highly recommend to you and your utility to receive education - this is the most crucial issue today!

The recent Newton-Evans study figured out:

"Utility manpower shortages continue to negatively impact the ability of technology supplier companies to engage utilities for other than short-term requirements. However, third party engineering and integration service firms have recently made significant strides in winning substation automation-related business, from planning to design to construction and installation."

Click HERE for the news report on the study.

This is exactly what I have learned for years: There is a lack of smart people to deal with the future technologies in power systems. So, we have to wait until the next generation of engineers arrives: people that will use what is advanced and available and that can be downloaded from the Web ... like the IEC 61850 Windows DLL evaluation Kit to get first results within hours ...

Click HERE for the IEC 61850 Windows DLL.
Click HERE for some discussion on the education of utility experts.

Growth of Substation Automation with IEC 61850

There seems to be an ongoing interest in doing market studies in order to figure out what will be the technologies applied in power system automation in the next years or decades. One of the latest is the following report:

"The World Market for Substation Automation and Integration Programs in Electric Utilities: 2011-2013." by Newton-Evans Research Company

Click HERE for a brief news information found on the Newton-Evans website.
Click HERE for some details from the report from Business Wire.

The number of systems installed in the electrical power delivery systems is much bigger than what these kind of studies show. The news reports: "Respondents indicated a total of 1,567 transmission substations and 5,154 distribution substations in operation as of the 4th quarter of 2010. These represent a 9% sample of U.S. and Canadian combined totals of transmission voltage substations and nearly 10% of all distribution voltage substations."

The power market is a global market - the potential market for IEC 61850 is global as well! The numbers of applications is in the Millions! Check what Enel reported during the recent first European IEEE Smart Grid conference in Gothenburg (Sweden): Enel owns over 0.4 MILLION MV/LV Substations! HV and MV network are remotely operated, more than 0.1 MILLION MV substations remote controlled ... There is a potential of 0.3 MILLION LV substations where IEC 61850 one way or the other may be used in the next decade.

One of Enel's project deals with even more potential use cases of IEC 61850:

Active Control of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) connected to the Medium Voltage network: The project will deal with:

• Realizing an advanced control system
• Implementing an “always on” and standard-based communication solution connecting all the relevant nodes in the network, including DER locations.
• Implementing Voltage Control (at all nodes) and Power Flow Control in the MV network.

Click HERE for the complete presentation by Enel.

Take, for example, the number of PV inverter manufactured monthly by one vendor: SMA (Germany):

"On the reporting date, SMA had a maximum annual production capacity of approx. 11 GW worldwide. This corresponds to a doubling in annual production capacity in comparison to the end of 2009. Owing to the better availability of electronic components, SMA was able to utilize almost fully its existing production capacities in the third quarter of 2010 with an inverter output sold of nearly 2.6 GW. In the first nine months, SMA sold inverter output of 5,738 MW in total" ... I guess this means some 500.000 PV Inverters from one manufacturer (assuming average inverter of 20 kW) !!

Click HERE for the SMA news report.

Taking the monitoring, control and automation needs reported by Enel (above) into account means: there is a potential global market of MILLIONS of devices per year that need "standard-based communication". IEC 61850 has almost everything needed.

In this light we have to look at what Newton-Evans figured out:

"Of 5,154 distribution substations in operation at participating utilities, nearly 36% were reported to be without any automation. Just over one-half (52%) of these distribution substations were classified as Stage 1 sites (having some IEDs, RTUs, and two-way communications). About 12% were reported to be “fully automated.”"

When we talk about "standard-based communication", we have to use a wide-angle lens - not a zoom lens to focus on some substations in the U.S. There are definitely a lot more of opportunities globally!

There is a bright future for IEC 61850!

IEC 61850 Training Opportunities in 2011

We hope you had a smooth start into 2011. This year we will see a lot more applications of IEC 61850 on all voltage levels: high, medium and low voltage.

NettedAutomation has trained more than 2,200 experts from more than 500 companies and more than 60 countries. Thanks to all that have chosen these services.

Please find the updated list of opportunities for public events in 2011:

Sydney (Australia), 07.-09. March 2011 2 day IEC 61850 Training by 5 Gurus	Details
Frankfurt (Germany) 3 day IEC 61850/61400-25 Seminar/Hands-on Training (NettedAutomation) with Measurement IED and several demo software (fully functional)	04.-06. May 2011 14.-16. September 2011
Nashville (TN, USA), Remote Conference, 20.-21. September 2011 2 day Seminar (NettedAutomation) on Power System Communication covering IEC 61850, IEC 61400-25, DNP3, NIST Interoperability Roadmap, Smart Grids, ...	Details (preliminary)

Note that most training courses are conducted as in-house events - the most effective way to get what you need. 

Greetings from (C)old Germany

As 2010 comes to a close, I want to say "Thank You!" for visiting the IEC 61850 Blog. We wish you and your family a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year 2011.

I look forward to serving you with a lot of news during the next year - there will be a lot to be reported in 2011.

Best Regards,
Karlheinz

Early morning winter impressions in our backyard ... the palm tree is protected by some lights - we hope that it will survive:

A very cold morning ... the fish pond is frozen ... the sun is very low:

We have more snow as usual ... even here in the Rhine river valley we have a lot.

... and some greetings from my IEC 61850 dolls explaining the modeling approach of IEC 61850 and IEC 61400-25:

An IED contains a Logical Device ...

... a Logical Device contains a Logical Node, a Logical Node contains a DataObject, a DataObject contains ...

To access the specific DataObject ("Tmp", Temperature Value) you have to "open" an IED ("MyDevice" at, e.g., 198.168.178.99), open a Logical Device ("MyLD"), open a Logical Node ("STMP1") and get the "Tmp.mag.i"

Any question?

Some applications of SCL (IEC 61850-6)

The System Configuration Language serves many applications in substations and in distributed automation in general. Often people are a little bit confused ... they read here and there - but do not get the full story.

The following list is intended to help people to find a way to get a better understanding:

1. To understand SCL (System Configuration Language) I recommend to read/study IEC 61850-6 Edition 2.

2. There are many applications of SCL files (some may not be found in any standard):

• System design → single line diagram (re-useable designs in library)
• IED development → IED capabilities
• System engineering → System configuration (re-useable config.)
• IED configuration/parameterization → running IEDs
• Documentation → provides view of system
• Plausibility/verification → check if system is able to run
• Self description of IEDs → Retrieve IED section from IED
• Validation of Device content → Check model against standard
• Simulate I/Os of IEDs for testing → Fieldbus driven remote I/O
• Simulate IEDs → Generate virtual IEDs on computer from SCL file
• Message interpretation → Use SCL file to get semantic of the model
• …

One or the other tool is needed for all of these applications. Some tools are available, other tools are under development ... the good thing is: the files are all written in ASCII-Code !! so that your 16 year old son or daughter can write simple but powerful tools by just searching and comparing TEXT !!

Example: It is easy to check if for every control block in an Input section (Sink) there is an IED with exactly that control block (Source) ... and so on.

3. SCL is not complex - it is very comprehensive. I have conducted many seminars and training sessions on IEC 61850 ... SCL is very crucial to understand ... SCL is 51 per cent of the standard in the long run ... in my opinion.

4. The blue sky is the limit of the use of SCL.

5. Today's implementations of IEDs and Tools is quite limited ... but wait ...

6. A two-page overview of IEC 61850 can be found here:
http://nettedautomation.com/standardization/IEC_TC57/WG10-12/iec61850/What-is-IEC61850.pdf

I wish you and your family a healthy and happy new year.

IEC 61850 provides a lot for the Smart Electrification

The recently published IEC white paper :

Coping with the Energy Challenge
The IEC’s role from 2010 to 2030
Smart electrification – The key to energy efficiency

discusses the need of standards! No surprise, or?

Click HERE to download the white paper [pdf, 1,9 MB]

The paper concludes on page 51:

"The standards should cover connection (especially of fluctuating sources), stability, “intelligence” (required functions of the IT applications controlling the grid), and minimum systemic efficiency as well as how to measure it. Aspects to deal with include balancing demand and generation, power quality, harmonic current emissions, voltage flicker, voltage fluctuation and islanding prevention. The standards should allow for the necessary differences in approach and choices made in different countries; thus some of the resulting publications may be non-normative.
In order to facilitate implementation, the MSB [IEC Market Strategy Board] further recommends the IEC and cooperating organizations to organize a public symposium on what the necessary standards and other IEC publications on the “smart grid” should contain."

The paper states at very beginning:

"As the first IEC President, Lord Kelvin, always said: “If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it!”. This statement is especially true here: without measurement you can’t credibly demonstrate energy efficiency improvements. The IEC provides and will continue to provide many of the measuring standards that are the basis for benchmarking, energy audits and compliance assessments."

The edition 2 of IEC 61850-7-4 (Information models) covers already many models of these measurements:

5.10 Logical nodes for metering and measurement LN Group: M
5.10.2 LN: Environmental information Name: MENV
5.10.3 LN: Flicker measurement name Name: MFLK
5.10.4 LN: Harmonics or interharmonics Name: MHAI
5.10.5 LN: Non-phase-related harmonics or interharmonics Name: MHAN
5.10.6 LN: Hydrological information Name: MHYD
5.10.7 LN: DC measurement Name: MMDC
5.10.8 LN: Meteorological information Name: MMET
5.10.9 LN: Metering Name: MMTN
5.10.10 LN: Metering Name: MMTR
5.10.11 LN: Non-phase-related measurement Name: MMXN
5.10.12 LN: Measurement Name: MMXU
5.10.13 LN: Sequence and imbalance Name: MSQI
5.10.14 LN: Metering statistics Name: MSTA

5.12 Logical nodes for power quality events LN Group: Q
5.12.2 LN: Frequency variation Name: QFVR
5.12.3 LN: Current transient Name: QITR
5.12.4 LN: Current unbalance variation Name: QIUB
5.12.5 LN: Voltage transient Name: QVTR
5.12.6 LN: Voltage unbalance variation Name: QVUB
5.12.7 LN: Voltage variation Name: QVVR

Click HERE for the preview of IEC 61850-7-4 (first 20 pages) to see the complete list of Logical Nodes defined.

If there is any (measurement) information found in real electrical system not yet modeled and standardized, you can define extension according to well defined extension rules in IEC 61850-7-1 (name space concept).

There is no need to define another series of (information models and information exchange) standards for electrical grids.

IEC 61850-7-3 published as International Standard

The second edition of IEC 61850-7-3 Ed.2 has been published early December 2010:

Communication networks and systems for power utility automation –
Part 7-3: Basic communication structure – Common data classes

The second edition replaces the first edition, published in 2003.

The second edition:

• defines new common data classes used for new standards defining object models for other domains based on IEC 61850 and for the representation of statistical and historical data, and
• provides clarifications and corrections to the first edition of IEC 61850-7-3.

Click HERE for the preview of the standard (first 20 pages).

IEC’s role from 2010 to 2030 - And IEC 61850

As 2010 comes to a close, I want to say "Thank You!" for visiting my blog.
We wish you and your family a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year 2011.

I look forward to providing useful information on IEC 61850 and related standards ... like the following:

While the big organizations are looking for the next 20 years to convert electrical grids to make them smarter, we (several working groups within IEC) are already working on it.

An IEC white paper discusses the need of standards:

Coping with the Energy Challenge
The IEC’s role from 2010 to 2030
Smart electrification – The key to energy efficiency

Click HERE to download the white paper [pdf, 1,9 MB]

The white paper recommends "IEC, in close cooperation with CIGRÉ, NIST and other relevant organizations, to develop rapidly a full and detailed set of standards giving minimal performance rules and a full set of options for the operation of grids. This should be conceived as a part of the set of standards needed by “smart grids”."

I guess that we have crucial parts of the "set of standards" already in use for some time: IEC 61850. IEC 61850 is definitely part of the future of a smarter grid !! Also in 2010 I have not seen any competing solution! IEC 61850 is a unique standard.

In 2010 I have seen a lot of requirements from the low voltage application domain (power distribution) in utility grids and in many other areas like buildings and factories.

One major step towards a broader use of IEC 61850 is the publication of the simple and very efficient free "Evaluation and Starter Kit for IEC 61850". The Kit has been downloaded several times per day ...

Click HERE for more information.

VDE fordert zügigen Ausbau der Stromnetze

Laut einer Pressemitteilung des VDE haben Experten der Energiebranche in Mannheim die Roadmap für den Umbau der deutschen Stromnetze diskutiert. Mittlerweile gehört es zur Pflichtübung aller möglichen Organisationen eine Roadmap für den Einzug der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnik in die Energieverteilung zu erstellen. Längst bevor die ersten Normungs-Roadmaps erschienen, war die wichtigste Norm bereits veröffentlicht und im Einsatz.

Laut obiger Diskussion in Mannheim, "erfolgt die Aufrüstung zum Smart Grid im Wesentlichen durch Einbau und Nutzung von Sensoren und Aktoren sowie Informationstechnologie, um möglichst viele Informationen über den Zustand zu erhalten, also den Beobachtungs- und Steuerungsgrad deutlich zu steigern. Um zu einem smarten Verteilungsnetz zu kommen, werden die Ortsnetzstationen im ersten Schritt mit Mess- und Kommunikationseinrichtungen ausgerüstet."

Das gilt für die Energieversorgung in allen Regionen dieser Erde, in öffentlichen Netzen, in Gebäuden, Fabriken und anderen Liegenschaften - und für alle Spannungsebenen! Während an vielen Ort gerade begonnen wird, eine Normungs-Roadmap für die Kommunikations- und Informationstechniken zu erarbeiten - fahren viele bereits auf einer gut ausgebauten Autobahn für die Energieversorgung: Auf dem Highway "Route 61850".

IEC 61850 ist DIE internationale Norm für die (elektrische) Energieversorgung!

Hier KLICKEN, um zur VDE-Pressemitteilung zu gelangen.

NERC - Supports IEC 61850 to keep the Transmission and Distribution Grid reliable

NERC (North American Reliability Corporation) has just published an interesting comprehensive analysis of the impact of Smart Grids on the reliability of the transmission grids:

Reliability Considerations from Integration of Smart Grid
December 2010

The report recommends that the interoperability of devices and systems is one of the crucial issues in future electric power systems - including industrial sites and buildings. There is obviously one standard that supports the interoperability to a high extend on all voltage levels: IEC 61850.

On page 82 the report states: "An important example of why smart grid standards need to recognize the interoperability between equipments used in transmission and distribution, is the requirement of mapping of Distributed Network Protocol 3 (DNP3) with IEC 61850. DNP3 is the legacy communication protocol that is followed for large volume data exchanges between equipment. However, IEC 61850 is recognized to be a better standard suited for smart grid communications. To bridge the gap between the legacy DNP3 protocols and the newer IEC 61850, a mapping is required when exchanging certain data types. The goal is to ensure that data are seamlessly transported between devices regardless of their adopted communication standards. DNP3 has recently been adopted in IEEE Standard 1815. An IEEE standard and an SGIP PAP working group are currently supporting the mapping effort between IEC 61850 and the IEEE 1815/DNP3 standards."

Click HERE to download the full NERC report.

Normungs-Roadmap für E-Mobilität und IEC 61850

Über die Webseite des DIN (Berlin) wurde am 30.11.2010 die "Deutsche Normungs-Roadmap Elektromobilität" veröffentlicht:

Die deutsche Normungs-Roadmap
Elektromobilität – Version 1
Version 1 - 30. November 2010

Die Normungs-Roadmap referenziert auch die Normenreihe IEC 61850 als Bestandteil der zukünftigen Ladeinfrastruktur! Das war zu erwarten, weil in diesem Kontext beispielsweise auch das drei-phasige Drehstromnetz eine Rolle spielt, das bereits seit Jahren in einem Standard-Modell definiert ist: MMXU nach IEC 61850-7-4.

Als engagierter Normer (seit 25 Jahren) sehe ich mit den Smart(er)-Grid-Aktivitäten eine große Chance für die Normung!! Ich hoffe, dass alle betroffenen Kreise in Deutschland die bereits BESTEHENDEN Normen anwenden, und nicht - wie im Bereich der industriellen Feldbusnormung - in die Vielfalt verfallen!!

„Wir streben eine weltweite Normung an, um möglichst viele Synergien von nationalen und internationalen Konzepten zu erreichen – vor allem auch im Sinne des Kunden“, sagt Michael Dick in der Pressemitteilung zur Roadmap. Liegt hier der Schwerpunkt auf "weltweite Normung" oder "EINE weltweite Normung"?

Das ist ein lobenswertes Ziel! Die EINE Norm ist mit IEC 61850 für den Bereich der Ladeinfrastruktur im Wesentlichen bereits erreicht. Alle grundlegenden Teile der Normenreihe IEC 61850 und IEC 61400-25 sind seit mehreren Jahren bereits International Standard. Diese Normen sind zum guten Teil ohne Änderungen anwendbar!

Klicken Sie HIER zur Pressenotiz mit dem Link zur Normungs-Roadmap.

Cost for IEC 61850 versus DNP3 or IEC 60870-5-104

Very often people ask me: "What is the cost for implementing of the protocols IEC 61850, DNP3 and IEC 60870-5-104? Isn't DNP3 cheaper?". First of all, IEC 61850 is much more than another protocol! IEC 61850 comprises communication services and protocols for SCADA and REAL-TIME applications. It offers metadata in the devices and self-description services, many information models and a very crucial System Configuration Language.

If we compare the SCADA services and protocols, we can expect that the efforts to implement one or the other communication protocol is more or less the same - when we implement a subset in IEC 61850 that is functionally equivalent to DNP3 and 104.

The other features of IEC 61850 (Real-time services and protocols, self-description services, many information models, and System Configuration Language) are NOT defined in DNP3 and 104. So, what does it mean to state that it is easier and cheaper to implement DNP3 and 104 than IEC 61850? If we want compare them, we should state exactly, what we compare!

If we compare just the underlying services and protocols: all three solutions require TCP/IP, ... -> no real difference!

Lets look at the messaging: All three require to encode and decode a variety of messages and sequences ... may be slightly different.

The basic data types like Double-Point, Status, Time-Stamp, Quality, ... are more or less the same.

What else do we want to compare? The other features are defined in IEC 61850 only. Comparison means: IEC 61850 HAS them - the others don't HAVE them. That's it.

SCL - For Substations or Systems?

The official title of IEC 61850-6:2009 Edition 2 (SCL) is:

Communication networks and systems for power utility automation –
Part 6: Configuration description language for communication in electrical
substations related to IEDs

What does SCL stand for: "Substation Configuration Language" or "System Configuration Language"?

The official Abbreviation in the Edition 2 of part 6 is as follows:

SCL = "System Configuration description Language"

Except the substation section all other sections and definitions can be used for any application domain: hydro power, DER, wind power, power quality, SCADA, ...