EnerNex Supports New Standard Communication Model Enables Grid Operators to Enhance Performance, Value of DER

Jan 16, 2019 | Announcements

EnerNex performed work under an agreement with EPRI to provide updates to the DNP3 specification and application note to define the communication protocols with distributed energy resources (DER) including energy storage and solar generation. The resulting collaborative work done by EnerNex, Modular Energy Storage Architecture Standards Alliance (MESA), the DNP User Group, the SunSpec Alliance and Xanthus Consulting that was also funded in part by the California Energy Commission (CEC), has resulted in the publishing DNP3 Application Note AN2018-001 – DNP3 Profile for Communications with Distributed Energy Resources.

For more information, contact:

Kay Stefferud, Director of Implementation Services
kay@enernex.com
865-218-4600 x8104

New Standard Communication Model Enables Grid Operators to Enhance Performance, Value of Distributed Energy Resources
sunspec.org/new-standard-communication-model-enables-grid-operators-enhance-performance-value-distributed-energy-resources
January 14, 2019 by SunSpec

PALO ALTO, Calif. (January 14, 2019) – A collaborative team published a new Application Note, DNP3 Application Note AN2018-001 – DNP3 Profile for Communications with Distributed Energy Resources, to help grid operators communicate with distributed energy resources (DER) and enhance use and value of energy storage and solar generation connected to smart inverters. Led by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the group includes the DNP Users Group, the MESA Standards Alliance (MESA), SunSpec Alliance, EnerNex, and Xanthus Consulting, and is funded in part by the California Energy Commission (CEC).

“DER are developing rapidly to provide new capabilities in serving customers and the grid. Yet without a standard way for utilities to communicate with new technologies, they cannot reach their full interactive potential,” said Ben Ealey, EPRI senior project manager and the project’s primary investigator. “We closed gaps in older communication models, which didn’t have the ‘words’ to command new capabilities of smart inverters and battery storage. We’ve added ‘new words’ for utility grid operators to use that can unlock emerging capabilities of DER, most specifically within the storage domain.”

This DNP3 application note integrates information from the latest field tests as well as smart inverter functionality and provides a standard information model for communicating with DER using Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standard (IEEE Std.) 1815TM – 2012 (DNP3) that complies with functional requirements in California Rule 21 and IEEE Std. 1547 TM-2018. Generally, “application notes” provide examples of and suggestions for implementing standards in a specific domain of the industry. This Application Note contains a standardized list of DNP3 inputs and outputs and the specific mapping of information communicated within each point. It also includes functional definitions and mapping with the internationally recognized information model IEC-61850-7-420.

Given that relatively few newer DER have been installed, there has been limited adoption of standard DER information models for DNP3 systems. However, as the grid integrates more DER such communications models become essential for ensuring that utilities and the public are able to maximize the operational functionality and financial value of distributed and traditional grid assets.

Related Developments
Prior to this project’s completion, MESA plans to update the MESA-ESS specification – a standard framework for utility-scale energy storage system data exchanges. The update will address configuration management, operational state, and functions applicable under the DNP3 profile for advanced DER functions. To support the application note’s implementation, SunSpec Alliance is developing a conformance testing framework to validate proper implementation in storage and solar systems.

This project continues through March 2019 and is funded in part by the CEC through the Electric Program Investment Charge (EPC-15-089), which funds clean energy research, demonstration, and deployment projects that support California’s energy policy goals and promote enhanced reliability and safety, at lower costs.

About EPRI
The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (EPRI, www.epri.com) conducts research and development relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public. An independent, nonprofit organization, EPRI brings together its scientists and engineers as well as experts from academia and industry to help address challenges in electricity, including reliability, efficiency, affordability, health, safety and the environment. EPRI’s members represent approximately 90 percent of the electricity generated and delivered in the United States, and international participation extends to more than 30 countries. EPRI’s principal offices and laboratories are located in Palo Alto, Calif.; Charlotte, NC; Knoxville, Tenn.; and Lenox, Mass.

About the DNP Users Group
The DNP Users Group supports our user community and the industry by enhancing and promoting the Distributed Network Protocol (DNP3), also known as IEEE Std 1815TM. Our members include utilities, suppliers, consultants, and individuals. Many of our initiatives support greater interoperability between supplier’s products and systems and/or enhance cyber security. On-going refinements also add new features and time saving capabilities which are then included in the next update of IEEE Std 1815 TM. Our growing library of Application Notes, Security Notices, and Technical Bulletins provide essential information for our members. The leadership team and Technical Committee provide periodic educational opportunities including tutorials, white papers, and conference presentations. The Test Management Committee supports our large vendor community with conformance testing services. The DNP Users Group is a California nonprofit mutual benefit Corporation, operating pursuant to United States IRS code 501(c)(6). More information: www.DNP.org.

Links

User Group Membership page (join to gain access to the full Application Note and Spread sheet): DNP Users Group Membership

Direct link to Profile documents for members: Member Access to DNP3 Profile for DER Communications

About the MESA Standards Alliance
The Modular Energy Storage Architecture (MESA) Standards Alliance is an industry association comprised of electric utilities and technology suppliers whose mission is to accelerate the growth of energy storage through the development of open and non-proprietary communication specifications for energy storage systems. Members include a growing list of leading utilities and energy storage solution providers who work together to build interoperability into their respective products and ensure they are architected for grid system integration. More information: www.MESAStandards.org.

About the SunSpec Alliance
SunSpec Alliance is the information standards and certification organization for the Distributed Energy Resources industry. SunSpec communication standards address operational requirements of solar and energy storage on the smart grid to reduce cost, promote technology innovation, and accelerate industry growth. More information: www.SunSpec.org.

Contacts
Donald Cutler, EPRI dcutler@epri.com; 650-847-8099

Ronald Farquharson, DNP Users Group President@dnp.org

Darcy Wheeles, MESA Darcy@mesastandards.org

Glenna Wiseman, SunSpec Glenna@SunSpec.org; 909-553-3141

Smart Metering (SM) and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)

Smart Metering and AMI is a transformational process addressing multiple business and technical needs of the utility enterprise. This is more than just smart meters and communications networks; it includes all of the back end applications that can leverage the meter assets, such as outage notification, demand response, call center optimization, disputed billing process handling, pre-payment opportunities, and service connection management methods and procedures, to name a few.

Implementing SM and AMI faces the same business, engineering, and operational challenges as any other across-the-utility information technology endeavors – most notably risk associated with embracing proprietary technology, missing functionality and early obsolescence. Effective SM and AMI development, implementation, and operation relies on a marriage of electric power engineering with information technology expertise: a key component of EnerNex’s expertise and experience.

EnerNex provides an array of engineering and consulting services geared towards intelligent and effective implementation of SM and AMI. This covers all phases of project development, starting with capturing system requirements where our experts leverage a “Use Case” centric view of activities needed to be accomplished and their interaction with systems and other users. Subsequent project steps typically examine other critical areas, such as: modeling of business cases, building inter-department consensus, assembling and assessing system functional requirements and non-functional requirements, developing a system design, hardware and software specifications and standards, complete procurement services including RFI and RFQ process support, supplier rating system, response evaluation methodology, deployment management, and training of office and field personnel.

Demand Response (DR)

Demand response can be as simple as load interruption directed by the energy supplier in response to severe demand requirements, to complex customer defined load management in response to price signals. DR is one of the components of a “Non-Wires Alternative” that many utilities are effectively using to avoid expensive distribution fortification or upgrade.

Often the success and/or failure of demand response programs can be linked to program implementation challenges such as rate/tariff design rate structures communication (e.g. price signals) or ineffective incentives used by utilities to encourage customers to accept operational change. The issues of program design, rate structure and customer impact have a tremendous influence on the success or failure of load management initiatives. Demand response has traditionally been used as a tool of the energy industry to ensure system stability. However, the introduction of microelectronics, communications, home automation and the Internet of Things (IoT) has led to the development of cost effective solutions that have the capability to allow the consumer to take control of managing their energy load and ultimately, the price they pay for energy.

EnerNex has the experience and skills to turn your DR program into a successful operational asset and customer engagement process that can deliver value to all parties.

Energy Assurance Planning

Natural and man-made disasters cause an estimated $57B in average annual costs for all parties; large single events have resulted in losses of $100B or more. Events, such as the World Trade Center disaster, Hurricane Katrina, and most recently Hurricane Helene, have demonstrated an acute need to revisit, revise and implement an effective energy assurance plan. Energy assurance plans assess the functionality and interdependencies of buildings and infrastructure systems and the role they play in sustaining service and rapidly restoring critical services to a community following a hazard event.

EnerNex assists our clients in developing comprehensive energy assurance plans that mitigate and minimize the impact of energy disruptions. Our experts assess critical infrastructure risks and evaluate appropriate mitigation strategies and can help in developing an effective business continuity/disaster recovery (BC/DR) plan for utilities and your customers.

Microgrid Development

As the electric grid becomes more distributed and interactive, microgrids are playing an increasingly important role in our energy future. Decision makers at military bases, corporate and institutional campuses, residential communities and critical facilities across the world are exploring and implementing microgrids to meet economic, resiliency and environmental goals. Utility-grade microgrids are being deployed to meet transmission constraints, reliability requirements and safe-havens in the event of a significant storm event.

Microgrid_development Graphic steps to support grid modernization

Bringing together a portfolio of distributed energy resources into a controllable, islandable microgrid comes with its own set of challenges. The key to solving these challenges is in architecting a system to support information exchanges between components across well-defined points of interoperability (interfaces) in a technology independent manner. This interoperability ensures that the system is resilient to technology change. Modern systems engineering techniques must be employed to ensure that individual sub‐systems are clearly identified, their functions enumerated, their data requirements known, and the points of interoperability clearly specified, along with the commensurate monitoring, command and control that is needed to ensure grid stability. With such architecture, we can apply best of breed technology available today to support those information exchanges at interface boundaries but be free to upgrade / change the implementation technology later without causing a ripple effect throughout the system.

Enterprise Architecture

Enterprise Architecture focuses on aligning an organization’s business strategies with its anticipated, desired and planned technology enhancements. Enterprise Architecture provides a framework to cost-effectively transition from a current “as-is” technology to future enterprise-wide technological solutions. An effective Enterprise Architecture program aligns business investments with long-term business strategies while minimizing risk and providing superior technological solutions. EnerNex’s key asset is its highly skilled and experienced staff who are closely connected to both the smart grid and EA standards and practices. We provide clients with the insight necessary to operate a fully functioning smart grid, which is flexible, scalable, and vendor independent.

Grid Modernization Roadmap

Utility companies across the globe are continually modernizing their grid. Each company often has different rationales, objectives and priorities. Frequently, smart grid plans are developed for individual, incremental initiatives, rather than as a part of a whole, intelligent and interoperable infrastructure. Planning may be developed around technology choices rather than business and technical requirements. The result of incremental and flawed planning leads to increased cost and risk, lost opportunities, disconnected expectations and dead ends.

EnerNex’s approach to grid modernization roadmap development follows a proven, industry-standard approach to grid modernization planning by collaboratively working with the utility to develop a set of prioritized and time-phased grid modernization initiatives unique to its business strategy and objectives. The roadmap developed is holistic, requirements-based, business value driven and actionable. It often builds on and leverages existing applications and infrastructure, and incorporates industry standards to ensure interoperability, flexibility and reduced cost and risk.

Utility Communications

Utility communication and control systems are increasingly interconnected to each other and to public networks and as a result, they are becoming increasingly more susceptible to disruptions and cyber attacks. EnerNex has experience with the various issues relating to development, implementation and optimization including feasibility analysis, design, software development and customization, project management and acceptance. Our expertise extends from being involved in the development of the fundamental standards that support utility communication and automation, through deployment and securing of those resources. EnerNex personnel were heavily involved in development of such standards and protocols as IEC 61850, IEC 60870-5 and DNp3. Our staff played a key role in the EPRI Utility Communication Architecture (UCA) project and the IntelliGrid Architecture effort.

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