Smart Grid System Operation (ELEN-6108 )

SMART GRID
COMMUNICATIONS AND
MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGY
Instructor: Dr. Muhammad Umair Shahid
COMMUNICATION AND
MEASUREMENT
• much of the existing transmission and distribution systems in the United States still uses older digital
communication and control technology, advanced communication systems for distribution automation, such
as Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) [3] and SCADA, are under development as well as innovative tools and
software that will communicate with appliances in the home [1] .
• Ultimately, high-speed, fully integrated, two-way communication technologies will allow the smart grid to be
a dynamic, interactive mega-infrastructure for real-time information and power exchange.
• The technology exists for the measure, monitor, and control in real time in the Smart Grid, and this
technology plays an essential role in the functioning of the Smart Grid.
• Obviously, existing measuring, monitoring, and control technology will have a role in smart grid capability.
• Establishing appropriate standards, cyber security, and interoperability requires careful study, for example,
formalizing the standards and protocols for the secure transmission of critical and highly sensitive
information within the proposed communication scheme.
COMMUNICATION AND
MEASUREMENT
• Moreover, open architecture’s plug and play environment will provide secure network smart
sensors and control devices, control centers, protection systems, and users.
• Possible wired and wireless communications technologies can include:
1. Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS): high - performance telecommunications networks
for data transmission between network nodes
2. Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax): wireless telecommunication
technology for point to multipoint data transmission utilizing Internet technology
3. Broadband over Power Lines (BPL): power line communication with Internet access
4. Wi - Fi: commonly used wireless local area network
COMMUNICATION AND
MEASUREMENT
• Additional technologies include optical fiber, mesh, and multipoint
spread spectrum.
• The five characteristics of smart grid communications technology are:
1. High bandwidth
2. IP - enabled digital communication (IPv6 support is preferable)
3. Encryption
4. Cyber security
5. Support and quality of service and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
COMMUNICATION AND
MEASUREMENT
• Local Area Network [5,6] consists of two or more components and high – capacity disk storage (file
servers), which allow each computer in a network to access a common set of rules.
• LAN has operating system software which interprets input, instructs network devices, and allows users to
communicate with each other.
• Each hardware device (computer, printer, and so on) on a LAN is a node.
• The LAN can operate or integrate up to several hundred computers. LAN combines high speed with a
geographical spread of 1–10 km.
• LAN may also access other LANs or tap into Wide Area Networks.
• LAN with similar architectures are bridges which act as transfer points, while LAN with different
architectures are gateways which convert data as it passes between systems.
COMMUNICATION AND
MEASUREMENT
• The special attributes and advantages of LAN include:
• Resource sharing: allows intelligent devices such as storage devices, programs, and data files to share
resources, that is, LAN users can use the same printer on the network; the installed database and the
software can be shared by multiple users
• Area covered: LAN is normally restricted to a small geographical area, for example, office building,
utility, campus
• Cost and availability: application software and interface devices are affordable and off the shelf
• High channel speed: ability to transfer data at rates between 1 and 10 million bits per second
• Flexibility: grow/expand with low probability of error; easy to maintain and operate
COMMUNICATION AND
MEASUREMENT
• LAN has three categories of data transmission:
1. Unicast transmission: a single data packet is sent from a source node to a destination
(address) on the network
2. Multicast transmission: a single data packet is copied and sent to a specific subset of nodes on
the network; the source node addresses the packet by using the multicast addresses
3. Broadcast transmission: a single data packet is copied and sent to all nodes on the network;
the source node addresses the packet by using the broadcast address
COMMUNICATION AND
MEASUREMENT
• LAN topologies define how network devices are organized. The four most common architectural structures
are:
1. Bus topology: linear LAN architecture in which transmission from network station propagates
the length of the medium and is received by all other stations connected to it
2. Ring bus topology: a series of devices connected to one another by unidirectional
transmission links to form a single closed loop
3. Star topology: the end points on a network are connected to a common central hub or switch
by dedicated links
4. Tree topology: identical to the bus topology except that branches with multiple nodes are also
possible
COMMUNICATION AND
MEASUREMENT
• Home Access Network [2,3] is a LAN confined to an individual home. It enables remote control
of automated digital devices and appliances throughout the house. Smart meters, smart appliances
and Web - based monitoring can be integrated into this level.
• Neighborhood Area Network (NAN) is a wireless community currently used for wireless local
distribution applications. Ideally, it will cover an area larger than a LAN.
COMMUNICATION AND
MEASUREMENT
• Some architectural structures will focus on the integration and interoperability of the various domains within
the smart grid. Domains consist of groups of buildings, systems, individuals, or devices which have similar
communications characteristics:
• Bulk generation: includes market services interface, plant control system, and generators; this domain interacts with
the market operations and transmission domains through wide area networks, substation LANs, and the Internet
• Transmission: includes substation devices and controllers, data collectors, and electric storage; this domain interacts
with bulk generation and operations through WANs and substation LANs; integrated with the distribution domain
• Distribution: this domain interacts with operations and customers through Field Area Networks
• Customer: includes customer equipment, metering, Energy Management Systems (EMS), electric storage, appliances,
PHEVs, and so on
• Service Providers: includes utility and third party providers which handle billing customer services, and so on; this
domain interacts with operations and customers primarily through the Internet
• Operations: includes EMS, Web Access Management System (WAMS), and SCADA; this domain can be sub -
divided into ISO/RTO, transmission, and distribution
• Market: includes /ISOs/RTOs, aggregators, and other market participants
MONITORING, PMU, SMART METERS,
AND MEASUREMENTS TECHNOLOGIES
• The smart grid environment requires the upgrade of tools for sensing, metering, and measurements at all
levels of the grid.
• These components will provide the data necessary for monitoring the grid and the power market.
• Sensing provides outage detection and response, evaluates the health of equipment and the integrity of the
grid, eliminates meter estimations, provides energy theft protection, enables consumer choice, DSM, and
various grid monitoring functions.
• New digital technologies will employ two - way communication, a variety of inputs (pricing signals, time - of
- day tariffs, RTO) curtailments for congestion relief), a variety of outputs (real - time consumption data,
power quality, electric parameters), the ability to connect and disconnect, and interfaces with generators, grid
operators, and customer portals to enhance power measurement.
MONITORING, PMU, SMART METERS,
AND MEASUREMENTS TECHNOLOGIES
• Wide Area Monitoring Systems (WAMS)
• WAMS are designed by the utilities for optimal capacity of the transmission grid and to prevent the
spread of disturbances.
• By providing real-time information on stability and operating safety margins, WAMS give early
warnings of system disturbances for the prevention and mitigation of system-wide blackouts.
• WAMS utilize sensors distributed throughout the network in conjunction with GPS satellites for precise
time stamping of measurements in the transmission system.
• The integrated sensors will interface with the communication network.
MONITORING, PMU, SMART METERS,
AND MEASUREMENTS TECHNOLOGIES
• Phasor Measurement Units (PMU)
• Phasor Measurement Units or Synchrophasors give operators a time-stamped snapshot of the power
system.
• The PMUs consist of bus voltage phasors and branch current phasors, in addition to information such as
locations and other network parameters.
• Phasor measurements are taken with high precision from different points of the power system at the
same instant, allowing an operator to visualize the exact angular difference between different locations.
• PMUs are equipped with GPS receivers which allow synchronization of readings taken at distant points.
• Microprocessor–based instrumentation such as protection relays and Disturbance Fault Recorders
(DFRs) incorporate the PMU module with other existing functionalities as an extended feature.
MONITORING, PMU, SMART METERS,
AND MEASUREMENTS TECHNOLOGIES
• Smart Meters
• Smart meters have two functions: providing data on energy usage to customers (end-users) to help
control cost and consumption; sending data to the utility for load factor control, peak-load
requirements, and the development of pricing strategies based on consumption information and so
on Automated data reading is an additional component of both smart meters and two-way
communication between customers and utilities.
• The development of smart meters is planned for electricity, water, and gas consumption.
• Smart meters equip utility customers with knowledge about how much they pay per kilowatt hour
and how and when they use energy.
• This will result in better pricing information and more accurate bills in addition to ensuring faster
outage detection and restoration by the utility.
• Additional features will allow for demand - response rates, tax credits, tariff options, and
participation in voluntary rewards programs for reduced consumption.
• Still other features will include remote connect/disconnect of users, appliance control and
monitoring, smart thermostat, enhanced grid monitoring, switching, and prepaid metering.
MONITORING, PMU, SMART METERS,
AND MEASUREMENTS TECHNOLOGIES
• Smart Appliances
• Smart appliances cycle up and down in response to signals sent by the utility.
• The appliances enable customers to participate in voluntary demand response programs which
award credits for limiting power use in peak demand periods or when the grid is under stress.
• An override function allows customers to control their appliances using the Internet.
MONITORING, PMU, SMART METERS,
AND MEASUREMENTS TECHNOLOGIES
• Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)
• AMI is the convergence of the grid, the communication infrastructure, and the supporting information infrastructure.
• The network-centric AMI coupled with the lack of a composite set of cross industry AMI security requirements and
implementation guidance, is the primary motivation for its development.
• The problem domains to be addressed within AMI implementations are relatively new to the utility industry;
however, precedence exists for implementing large-scale, network-centric solutions with high information assurance
requirements.
• The functions of AMI can be subdivided into three major categories:
• Market applications: serve to reduce/eliminate labor, transportation, and infrastructure costs associated with meter reading and
maintenance, increase accuracy of billing, and allow for time-based rates while reducing bad debts; facilitates informed customer
participation for energy management
• Customer applications: serves to increase customer awareness about load reduction, reduces bad debt, and improves cash flow, and
enhances customer convenience and satisfaction; provides demand response and load management to improve system reliability and
performance
• Distribution operations: curtails customer load for grid management, optimizes network based on data collected, allows for the
location of outages and restoration of service, improves customer satisfaction, reduces energy losses, improves performance in event
of outage with reduced outage duration and optimization of the distribution system and distributed generation management, provides
emergency demand response
GIS AND GOOGLE MAPPING TOOLS
• GIS is useful for managing traditional electric transmission and distribution and telecom networks.
• It can also help to manage information about utility assets for data collection and maintenance.
• GIS technology will provide partial context to operators and planners, for example, real-time sensors that
collect the data needed to reconfigure networks for reducing outages and equipment failures.
MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS (MAS)
TECHNOLOGY
• MAS are a computational system in which several agents cooperate to achieve a desired task.
• The performance of MAS can be decided by the interactions among various agents.
• Agents cooperate to achieve more than if they act individually.
• Increasingly, MAS are the preferential choice for developing distributed systems.
• The development of monitoring and measurement schemes within the smart grid environment can be
enhanced through the use of MAS architecture (Figure).
• Information passes between the agents about the appropriate actions to be taken.
• When implemented, the process repeats itself to constantly monitor the system so that management of system
conditions can be implemented instantaneously.
MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS (MAS)
TECHNOLOGY

Figure: Simplified multiagent architecture.

MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS (MAS)
TECHNOLOGY
• Multiagent Systems for Smart Grid Implementation
• The smart grid is expected to have the following key characteristics:
1. self – healing
2. consumer friendly
3. attack resistant
4. provide power quality for 21st - century needs
5. accommodate all generation and storage options
6. enable markets
7. optimize assets and operate efficiently
• Central to the operation of any power system is its control architecture consisting of hardware and software
protocols for exchanging system status and control signals.
• In conventional electric power systems, this is accomplished by SCADA.
• Current trends to control and monitor system operations are moving toward the use of MAS.
MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS (MAS)
TECHNOLOGY
• A multiagent system is a combination of several agents working in collaboration pursuing assigned tasks to
achieve the overall goal of the system.
• The multiagent system has become an increasingly powerful tool in developing complex systems that take
advantages of agent properties: autonomy, sociality, reactivity and pro-activity.
• The multiagent system is autonomous in that they operate without human interventions.
• The multiagent system is sociable in that they interact with other agents via some kind of agent
communication language.
MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS (MAS)
TECHNOLOGY
• Multiagent Specifications
• The specifications of a control agent, a distributed energy resource (DER) agent, a user agent, and a database
agent in the Intelligent Distributed Autonomous Power System (IDAPS) MAS are defined.
• 1. Control agent: responsibilities include monitoring system voltage and frequency to detect contingency situations or
grid failures, and sending signals to the main circuit breaker to isolate the IDAPS microgrid from the utility when an
upstream outage is detected; receiving electricity price ($/kWh) signal from the main grid, which may be obtained
from AMI, and publishing them to the IDAPS entities
• 2. DER agent: responsibilities include storing associated DER information, monitoring and controlling DER power
levels and connect/disconnect status; DER information to be stored may include DER identification number, type
(solar cells, microturbines, fuel cells), power rating (kW), local fuel availability, cost function or price at which users
agree to sell, DER availability, that is, planned maintenance schedule
• 3. User agent: acts as a customer gateway that makes features of an IDAPS microgrid accessible to users;
responsibilities include providing users with real-time information on entities residing in the IDAPS system; monitors
electricity consumption by each critical and noncritical load; allows users to control the status of loads based on user ’
s predefined priority
• 4. Database agent: serves as a data access point for other agents as well as users; responsibilities include storing
system information, recording messages and data shared among agents.
MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS (MAS)
TECHNOLOGY
• Multiagent Technique
• An agent of a MAS may be defined as an entity with attributes considered useful in a particular domain.
• In this framework, an agent is an information processor that performs autonomous actions based on
information.
• Common agent attributes include:
• Autonomy: goal - directedness, proactive and self - starting behavior
• Collaborative behavior: the ability to work with other agents to achieve a common goal
• Knowledge - level communication ability: the ability to communicate with other agents with language
resembling human speech acts rather than typical symbol-level program-to-program protocols
• Reactivity: the ability to selectively sense and act
• Temporal continuity: persistence of identity and state over long periods
MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS (MAS)
TECHNOLOGY
• MAS can be characterized by:
• Each agent has incomplete capabilities to solve a problem
• No global system control
• Decentralized data
• Asynchronous computation
MICROGRID AND SMART GRID
COMPARISON
• Research has been conducted to understand the differences between a microgrid and a smart grid.
• Basically, a microgrid is a local island grid that can operate as a stand-alone or as a grid-connected system.
• It is powered by gas turbines or renewable energy and includes special purpose inverters and a link for plug
and play to the legacy grid.
• Special purpose filters overcome harmonics problems while improving power quality and efficiency.
• Several demonstration projects and a testbed are operating in university and government facilities.
• In summary, think of the microgrid as a local power provider with limited advanced control tools and the
smart grid is a wide area provider with sophisticated automated decision support capabilities.
Any Questions?