THE ENERGY INDUSTRY TIMES - FEBRUARY 2017 Industry Perspective 13 Redefining grid efficiency If a utility operator in the last quarter of the 20th Century were to see into the future and catch a glimpse of today’s energy technology, they would no doubt be amazed by the proliferation and complexity of different systems within utility infrastructures. However, it’s likely they would also be disappointed by the lack of progress in the information systems and operational tools to accommodate new digital technologies. Progress has been made, but utilities are still some way off achieving digital transformation. Take enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems for example – we are still using the systems that were installed in the 1990s to manage physical assets, resulting in limited access to the data modelling capabilities offered by modern power automation systems. So how fast can utilities move in replacing enterprise systems? Utilities that embrace change too quickly risk investing in technologies that can quickly fail, or can experience short-term reductions in operational efficiency. While those that are too slow off the mark will fall behind the rapid pace of technology deployment and end up maintaining obsolete equipment with archaic systems at a higher cost and risk of failure. New, improved systems that make the most of the Internet of Things (IoT) innovation will allow utilities to manage their networks in a much more flexible manner; and key international standards adopted by the industry will facilitate this implementation. Modern electric utilities have acquired multiple software systems to manage operational assets and support their key business processes. At the core, the convergence of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) systems offers a means to support future-ready integrated business processes. Data integration will be the cornerstone of the future of distribution utility business. It’s the core component of digitised mechanisms for asset management, grid operations and more. Once treated as separate domains, IT and OT are now intersecting to enable more efficient and reliable utility operations, directed and empowered by data. Open and interoperable solutions, including Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure platform, connect until now siloed software and equipment using IoT technology to manage collected, aggregated, cleaned and enriched data to create value and optimise utility operations. OT represents a broad category of physical infrastructure components and associated software that utilities depend on. It encompasses communication capabilities used to monitor and operate automated electrical equipment in real-time, as well as advanced simulation to guide crews in the field. OT systems also include the software implemented in control centres and power generation management systems. In contrast, IT encompasses all the related software and networking gear that allow machines to exchange information directly with humans, often within seconds. These include the likes of enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer information systems and billing, geographic information systems (GIS), and customer relationship management (CRM) systems. Beyond IT/OT systems convergence and IoT deployment, information level interoperability is absolutely crucial to enable interactions within and among systems that haven’t previously communicated with one another, with a wider variety of data, more components, and more applications. Stronger, more efficient, and better automated distribution grids will rely on internationally recognised standards in terms of data models, data integration, and open data and communication for smart grids and grid edge technology. It will also support the increasing need for data exchange with other actors involved in the power ecosystem, including TSOs, distributed generation operators, aggregators, and prosumers. For this reason alone, standardised data models and interfaces belong at the core of a utility’s business. For many utilities, there may be some confusion as to where to start with IT-OT integration. Three key aspects should be addressed for a modern asset management and operation strategy: 1. Create an architecture blueprint. By nature, the grid is an integrated system. Therefore, IT-OT systems designed to represent the grid to operators, planners, and engineers must be integrated. Utilities must follow a well-thought-out architecture blueprint ahead of starting the implementation, which focuses on: n Mapping business processes to data and user workflows for greater flexibility through workflow management software. This can bring the vertical silos found in many utilities together in order to connect multiple software applications to support robust and successful cross-vertical business processes n Leveraging the ubiquitous presence of the Internet for data monitoring and collection, to enhance scalability. From information systems in the enterprise to smart devices deployed in the grid, the observation of the network has never been easier. However, the process of asset data management can be complex due to multiple industry standards and regulations. Scalable tools across data sources and automated data filtering is required to ease the process and free up operator time n Tapping into multiple data sources for improved visual situation awareness and usability. User interfaces are required to deliver more dashboards and graphics to present an overview of the situation, as well as identifying where more detail is needed. Interfaces can be fed by multiple data sources to display past trends with present patterns, alongside the ability to simulate the future state of the system. 2. Commit to accurate network modelling. Accurate network models are essential for better operations, improved operator performance, the safety of switching operations and crew works, and optimisation of the overall grid. When an outage occurs or an emergency switching operation is imminent, grid operators need an accurate network model. Model architecture must therefore include a design where a central master network model (hosted by the GIS) is shared and updated across all operational systems, including the SCADA, DMS, and OMS. The advantage of data modelling is that it provides a way to uniquely associate a physical component to the data, which helps to avoid ambiguity when exchanging information between applications. It also provides a way to associate labels and apply rules to help manipulate data. The process of maintaining a ‘single truth’ of the network is implemented through a workflow and the interoperability of the network model exchange is achieved thanks to CIM standards. Data integrity is essential for this and the necessary steps must be taken to better share and make sense of data, across all IT and OT systems. Distribution utilities benefit not only from deploying IT, OT and IoT technologies that adhere to interoperability standards, but also leveraging the comprehensive set of open standards for the power business, which has been developed by the IEC TC57 committee. These standards are essential for interoperability and sustainability, and leverage both IEC 61850 and CIM as the two main pillars, which were initially created for substations and the grid. Their semantic data model is extensible and agnostic from the communication network. This is a key pillar for an efficient and sustainable integration and analytic development, and is complemented by IEC 62351 for cyber security. 3. Facilitate secure communication. An integrated IT-OT world consists of a federation of networks that combine private and public infrastructure, and integrate standards-based, open technologies such as IP with existing proprietary, legacy solutions. This integrated group of interdependent communications systems will grow and evolve, and while interoperability standards have flourished, security continues to be a significant topic. With one connected network from smart devices to control centre and key enterprise information (including confidential customer data), architects must be well versed in cyber security protocols, standards, and compliance rules. It is also critical that the software and systems used have been designed per the highest cyber security software engineering standards. There are also services available that assess the vulnerability state of the smart grid and control systems, recommending mitigating actions. Of course, the new grid-edge world of utilities, with thousands of new endpoints outside the sphere of physical control of the utility, does not make securing the grid an easy task. A comprehensive approach that considers the entire network, targeting security, patch management, and compliance, is needed to succeed in this evolving and mixed environment. Having addressed these three key aspects for a modern asset management and operation strategy, getting the timing right is important for a smarter tomorrow. The architects of utility IT-OT systems will have some tough choices to make between upgrading legacy systems or replacing them with newer, better systems. Prior to the advance of middleware, utilities had implemented point-to-point interfaces, which led to an unmanageable system because of too much interdependency. Now the proliferation of adapters/ web services has created a level of complexity difficult to manage by the utility’s IT department and sometimes not performing enough for the requirement of real-time operation. Enabling a new type of IoT framework that connects intelligent devices with real-time control, open software and analytics and services increases collaboration with all the actors in tomorrow’s grid ecosystem to help the entire system work more efficiently. Globally, the need for reliable power has never been greater, but equally the established way energy is delivered is under threat. IoT technologies have enormous potential for building a cleaner and more reliable grid and they are available to adopt today. Fortunately, the digital transformation of utilities is helping us get there. IoT can become both a comprehensive framework and guiding path toward implementing new and innovative digital technologies to increase the flexibility of grid operations and make the entire grid ecosystem, including the operator, more efficient and reliable. Vincent Petit is SVP of Energy Automation at Schneider Electric Once treated as separate domains, IT and OT are now intersecting to enable more efficient and reliable utility operations. Vincent Petit Petit: getting the timing right is important for a smarter tomorrow
Energy Industry Times February 2017
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