NettedAutomations IEC 61850 Training Modules and Experience

Please find a comprehensive description of training services provided by NettedAutomation including a list of training sessions (past events) and modules of training topics:

Training on IEC 61850 offered by NettedAutomation [pdf, 2.6 MB].

In addition to the theory of the standards it is the huge experience collected during 10 years of comprehensive training that makes the courses unparalleled.

The next public training is scheduled for Frankfurt (Germany) on October, 17-19, 2012

I hope to see several utility experts there, see ENTSO-E statement on IEC 61850 and their complaint about the situation in High Voltage substations. Seats and a discount fee are available.

SystemCorp IEC 61850 Stack/API – Questions and Answers

SystemCorp has published a lot details on their website. Several often asked questions have been answered in Application Notes.

The recent notes deal with GOOSE performance, Update call at server side to provide multiple values (e.g., stVal, q, t) in ONE call, and Ethernet raw package driver.

The Application notes can be found here:

https://www.systemcorp.com.au/support.html

ENTSO-E statement on the IEC61850 standard

ENTSO-E representing 41 TSOs from 34 European countries has published earlier in 2012 a statement on IEC 61850 for the application in European Transmission Systems. The statement criticizes that the level of interoperability expected by the utilities has not yet been implemented by the vendors.

This is also my personal experience speaking to hundreds of utility experts all over. What happened? How can it be overcome?

The main reason for some challenges in getting a higher degree of interoperability is that the same utilities (from the 41 in ENTSO-E) that are now complaining DID NOT get enough involved in the standardization process AND NOT in the process of implementation and first pilot tests. The feedback (needed in such comprehensive standards) was very weak.

I was personally seriously impacted by the changes in the utility industry some 10 years ago: The industry has funded my (and other peoples) involvement in the standardization work until 2002 – to help to make sure that the utilities’ requirements got implemented in the standards!! For the next 10 (crucial!) years after 2002 almost NO UTILITY expert showed up or was seriously involved. The vendors were finishing the standards without the “control” of the utility industry. AND: The first implementations and projects were not really watched and commented by the utility experts. The vendors still are preferably implementing turn-key substations often WITHOUT utility experts involved! Utility people usually have very little understanding what IEC 61850 means.

On one side it is unfair to not really showing up and not getting sufficiently involved in the process for the last 10 years and then – when some minor issues are still not solved – complain that the TSO’s requirements have not been fully met! Several experts have tried some 10 years ago to convince several CEOs of big utilities to continue funding the standardization work! We did not have any chance!

By the way – the good sign is now that the ENTSO-E TSOs WOKE UP! Hope that they will get back to become again a serious partner in the international standardization and in the implementation and application of the standards.

Download the ENTSO-E statement on IEC 61850

In the meantime many other domain have decided to use IEC 61850 – in most cases the interoperability at a very high degree is reached in these applications.

All market stake-holders are invited to get involved – some may first need to get some education to understand that IEC 61850 is more than just another protocol.

The statement refers to EPRI’s UCA development that has cost some 50.000.000 USD !! Where are the European utilities that are willing to spend a reasonable amount of Euros to get the remaining requirements of the TSO implemented in the years to come?!

I look forward to receiving many enquiries for training courses from European TSOs in the years to come ;-)

I have trained many utilities all over to help them to understand the standards, products, tools, and the vendors … often utility experts have NO clue what this is all about!

IEEE Award for Paper on Standards-based Smart Grid Automation

A paper co-written by Academic researchers and Power Industry experts has won the Andrew P. Sage Award for Best Paper in the IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics, Part C: Applications and Reviews for 2012. The paper was nominated by Editor in Chief, Professor Vlad Marik.

“Distributed Power System Automation with IEC 61850, IEC 61499, and Intelligent Control” by Neil Higgins, Prof. Valeriy Vyatkin, Prof. Nirmal-Kumar C Nair and Karlheinz Schwarz fuses ideas from two distinct areas, Industrial Control and Power System Automation. It describes how synergies between two emerging Standards, IEC 61499 Function Blocks and IEC 61850 Communication Networks and Systems for Power Utility Automation, can be leveraged to create powerful and robust SmartGrid automation schemes.

IEC 61499 promotes portability, interoperability and configurability aspects of control systems, adding an object-oriented flavour to precursors like IEC 61131. The second edition of IEC 61499 due for release in late 2012 builds on experiences in the development and application of complying products and systems since publication of the Standard in 2005.

Read the full news release.

Read the paper awarded [1 MB].

Third training of the TÜV SÜD Training Tour in Taipei a big Success

The third two day training on IEC 61850 in Taipei (Taiwan) was attended by 45+ experts. The discussions during the seminar on Monday (2012-09-10) showed that there are already several companies implementing IEC 61850 – more to come in the near future.

Opening address from Mr Bill Lin (Managing Director, TÜV SÜD Taiwan):

Introduction by Professor S. L. Chen … a promoter of IEC 61850 who looks very happy to have this event here in Taipei:

Dr. Strübbe (TÜV SÜD Munich/Germany) reports about global activities on Smart Grid and how TÜV SÜD is prepared to increase Certainty and add Value in the area of testing: conformance, security, functions, safety:

Most of the attendees …

… listening to Karlheinz Schwarz:

Taiwan has nice people and a gorges coast line (Yehliu Geopark in the north):

The meetings with two well known companies in Taipei on Friday last week show that there is a huge interest in IEC 61850 in Taiwan and globally.

Nice 5 minute video on IEC 61850 benefits from ABB on YouTube

A fully automated distribution system can make the power grid much more reliable. The IEC 61850 standard can help us get there by overcoming the key hurdle of interoperability. This video provides three ways IEC 61850 is equipping utilities with the means to increase reliability and lower costs in distribution systems. Learn about these benefits and how IEC 61850 simplifies communication, data naming, IED configuration, and the engineering process.

View video on IEC 61850 from ABB.

Another Successful IEC 61850 Training – Beijing

The second two day training on IEC 61850 in Beijing (China) was attended by some 30 experts from China. The interest was great … the room size quite limited:

Opening address from Mr Wencai Zhu (Vice President, TÜV SÜD, Beijing):

Dr. Strübbe (TÜV SÜD, Munich/Germany):

Attendees listen vey carefully:

Karlheinz Schwarz pointed out that IEC 61850 is not complex – but very comprehensive! The standard series defines a couple of thousand terms like MMXU, PDIS, Pos, STMP.Tmp, …

It is this sheer unlimited number of terms that looks like a complex standard – it is a huge language that defines a lot of nouns and verbs (like read, report, control, retrieve self-description, … lower tap position, record disturbance data).

Students learned the basics of IEC 61850 and how to get their devices speak IEC 61850 and IEC 61400-25 using of the shelf stack/API software from SystemCorp.

The third training session is to start in Taipei (Taiwan) tomorrow – September 10, 2012.

Successful IEC 61850 Training in Seoul (South Korea)

The two day training on IEC 61850 in Seoul (South Korea) was attended by some 60 experts from South Korea and the Philippines – a big success:

Entrance at the KTL building:

 

Auditorium:

Discussing (very good) questions:

The training was well received. The questions and discussions indicate that the industry is now in the process of implementing and using the new technology IEC 61850 and IEC 61400-25.

TÜV SÜD (one of the organizing companies) focused on the interoperability tests and functional tests of devices like PV inverter. TÜV SÜD offers services to test IEC 61850 conformity, PV inverter functions defined in part IEC 61850-90-7, security, and EMC/EMI requirements. One Test Lab – for many requirements.

IEC 61850 at 17. Kasseler Symposium Energie-Systemtechnik

The 17. Kasseler Symposium Energie-Systemtechnik will be held in Kassel (Germany) on 11.-12. October 2012. One of the various issue is the information and communication technology and the extended focus on electricity, gas and heating systems that are understood to form “Hybrid Grids”.

IEC 61850 will be discussed in the presentation “Standardisierte Anbindung von Anlagen nach IEC 61850” (Standardized connection of plants according to IEC 61850) by Martin Winter, SIEMENS AG.

The complete Program (German and English) can be downloaded.

Online registration.

I look forward to meeting you there. Want to discuss any IEC 61850, IEC 61400-25 or IEC 60870-5-104 related issue, let me know please.

REpower offers Wind Turbines with IEC 61400-25

REpower offers a standardized IEC 61400-25 server with the REguard B IEC 61400-25. This is available for all new turbines – retrofit for REcontrol B is possible.

This interface is based on the international standard for wind power plants, IEC 61400-25. As one of the first wind turbine manufacturers, REpower has included this standard in its SCADA solutions. From the very beginning, they put all their experience into developing a standard that unites wind farms all across the world. Our aim is to one day achieve smooth worldwide communication among wind power plants and modules.
Interface B IEC 61400-25 comprises all features of the SCADA interface family – and more. Apart from delivering alarm messages, second values, 10-minute averages, status codes and operational data, this interface also enables wind turbine operation (starting, stopping, resetting). In addition, individual wind power plants, the power management unit and the wind measurement station can be accessed, controlled and monitored.

Download more details on IEC 61400-25 from REpower.

Details of Inverter-based DER Devices Modelled in IEC 61850-90-7

Functions and Information Exchanges for Inverter-based DER Devices are modeled in IEC 61850-90-7. What does this document provide? A lot of useful models for real functions needed (today and in the near future) in power distribution systems with massive renewable power fed into the grid. The main models can be found in a document published the other day (see link below).

You can find many functions described and modeled in IEC 61850-90-7, e.g., frequency-watt mode:

This frequency-watt mode addresses the issue that high frequency often is a sign of too much power in the grid, and vice versa. These extreme deviations from nominal frequency can cause grid instability, particularly if they cause significant amounts of generating equipment to trip off-line.
One method for countering this over-power problem is to reduce power in response to rising frequency (and vice versa if storage is available). Adding hysteresis provides additional flexibility for determining the active power as frequency returns toward nominal.

The IEC 61850-90-7 has been written to meet crucial needs in the power delivery system. This document has to be seen in conjunction with other standards as depicted in the UML diagram below:

 

The electrical measurements like voltage, current and frequency are defined in IEC 61850-7-4 Ed2.

Note that the conversion of almost all models into UML (Enterprise Architect) will be completed soon. The huge model will be used to maintain the models in future. This is a crucial step toward tool based standardization.

Download the models based on IEC 61850-90-7 [pdf, 1.1 MB]

Vulnerability in the RuggedCom Rugged Operating System (ROS) – Bulletin from RuggedCom

RuggedCom has posted today (2012-08-31) some important information about the RuggedCom Private Key Vulnerabilities for HTTPS/SSL and SSH.

On that page you find crucial information about affected products, descriptions of the Vulnerabilities, fixes, and recommendations.

As this Vulnerabilities shows there is a need for an increasing awareness of security issues – and a need for more resources: to develop, implement and apply security measures – and education.

When did you talk last time with your management about making your system or IED more secure? Maybe it’s time to talk to them again … and again … and again.

Do you know the most secure protocol? No? It is the protocol that never was developed, implemented, or in use. ;-)

I am kidding. Sure. The Internet was originally invented for “wide-open” communications. This is long-time ago. Today it could be assumed that many new application domains will use the “Internet Technology” to build the x-Webs (Energy-Web, Power-Web, Smart Grid Web, …).

Be serious on security! Please!

Access the RuggedCom Security Updates.

C# Server and Client Application Source Code for IEC 61850 DLL

NettedAutomation has updated the C# Client AND SERVER application (GUI) of the IEC 61850 Evaluation Kit (DLL). You can use the SystemCorp DLL (dated back to 2010) from the evaluation package downloaded from the above NettedAutomation link. If you have installed the IEC 61850 DLL before March 2012 it will not run anymore on your PC (it runs for 6 just months). In that case you can install it on a different machine – maybe you have a new PC anyway since you tested the DLL.

The C# application source code and executable code as well as documentation and the appropriate SCL files for the client and the server are provided via the link below.

The new Server GUI supports manipulating values in the server application, e.g., the temperature and setting for temperature alarms at the server:

The client application allows to see results from polling and Reports:

You may just use another browser (e.g., the Omicron IEDScout) to connect to the server and retrieve the model and the values:

Download the complete C# application examples for the IEC 61850 DLL [zipped file, 1 MB].

Details on downloading the DLL evaluation package could be found here.

IEC 61850 for SCADA! – Are you looking for a new Job?

Are you highly-motivated to use your IEC 61850 skills; like challenges; are you collaborative; is this what you are looking for? Read on…

Southern California Edison is “looking for highly motivated individuals who enjoy the challenge of working on key industry changing projects. They need your good ideas and your contributions to remain a leader in this industry. … This position will report to the Power System Controls (PSC) SCADA Maintenance group. The successful candidate will work with the Centralized Remedial Action Scheme (CRAS) project team and the suppliers on the implementation of the system, learning the tools and processes required for the maintenance of the Central Controller systems.”

A crucial requirement is the experience of IEC 61850, DNP, and ICCP (Inter-Control Center Communications protocols).

Check the complete Job description.

Libraries – New License Policy for IEC 61850 Stack and API from SystemCorp

SystemCORP Embedded Technology Pty Ltd (Bentley WA 6102, Australia) offers a very modern and brand-new license policy for precompiled Libraries (Windows and Linux) for IEC 61850 Source code for their Stack and API effective August 2012 meeting the market demands.

The prices depend on the number of signals implemented: 1-100, 101-500, 501-1500, 1501-5000, 5000+

There are two options to chose from:

1. End User Server/Client (Windows and Linux); based on quantities
2. Re‐distributable Server/Client (Windows and Linux); royalty free with application

They offer the following services:

Built in Server & Client Function (based on ICD/CID configuration file)
‐ Reporting (buffered and unbufferd)
‐ MMS Services
‐ GOOSE Publisher (Server) and Subscriber (Client)
‐ Logging (Custom XML file format)(**)
‐ Application Programming Interface (API) manual published on
http://www.systemcorp.com.au/PIS10API/index.html

In addition to the new pricing it is also crucial to understand that the package comes with a build-in API that can be used by the application software immediately.

Most of the needed definitions in edition 2 of the core documents (7-2, 7-3, 7-4, 8-1 and 6) have been implemented. Most Object models (LN, DO) of other standards like IEC 61400-25-2 (Wind Turbines) can easily be implemented using the corresponding models in the CID file.

Contact SystemCorp by email for a quote.

Note also the new prices for the IEC 61850 source code.

Tissue Database for IEC 62439-3 PRP and HSR

Please not that the tissue database for the following standards is open for posting technical issues (tissues):

PRP (Parallel Redundancy Protocol) is a data communication network standardized by the International Electrotechnical Commission, Geneva, as IEC 62439-3 Clause 4

HSR (High-availability Seamless Redundancy) is a data communication network standardized by the International Electrotechnical Commission, Geneva, as IEC 62439-3 Clause 5

Access for the tissue database.

BDEW Whitepaper on Security in Power Systems

The well-accepted dual-language BDEW Whitepaper

- Requirements for Secure Control and Telecommunication Systems
- Anforderungen an sichere Steuerungs- und Telekommunikationssysteme

is now available at a new link:

Download Security Whitepaper [pdf].

USE61400-25 Users Group at LinkedIn

The USE61400-25 user group’s main objective is to ease the use of IEC 61400-25 and support users implementing the standard within the wind power industry:

There has a new group on IEC 61400-25 been created at LinkedIn

Note that IEC 61400-25 is build on IEC 61850. The crucial parts of IEC 61850, e.g., IEC 61850-7-2, –7-3, –7-4, –6, and –8-1 and various communication stacks and APIs can be re-used for most of the applications of wind power applications.

There is some crucial work going on to coordinate the future revision of IEC 61400-25 with IEC 61850.

IEC 61400-25 is also a topic on the training courses conducted at the Remote Conference in Denver (CO) on September 18/19, 2012 and in Frankfurt/M (Germany) on October 17-19, 2012:

More details on the IEC 61850/61400-25 training sessions.

NettedAutomation has also a booth the Remote Conference and Exhibition (booth #45) showing several software and hardware solutions for IEc 61850 and IEC 61400-25 (stack software, API, gateway between DNP3/Modbus/IEC60870-5-104 and IEC 61850, other embedded controller).