Increasing Electric Utility Operational Efficiency with the Internet of Things

European Utility Week November 2016

Electric Utility ChallengesToday’s utility companies are facing unprecedented challenges, ranging from the integration of distributed energy resources (DER) to increasing costs of maintaining an aging infrastructure. Utilities are paying more to maintain and build infrastructure due to increasing complexity as a result of the rising number of intermittent and variable DER, like solar, micro-grids, and battery systems, connecting to the distribution grid. A growing dependency on intermittent energy production from renewable sources is increasing the risk of outages compared to traditional dynamic energy sources (with rotating electric generators).

Tapping into the vast potential of the Internet of Things (IoT), Intel is meeting these challenges head on with power systems solutions that advance end-to-end connectivity, interoperability, reliability, and automation through scalable hardware and software infrastructure. This includes the Wind River* software stack, comprehensive security, and

pre-integrated and validated solutions. These capabilities—along with a philosophy of promoting open standards and working with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), original design manufacturers (ODMs), independent software vendors (ISVs), systems integrators (SIs), utilities, and energy service providers—put Intel in a unique position to partner with the utility industry to drive the digital transformation of power systems.

Electric Utility InitiativesOnce the requisite IoT infrastructure for electric power systems is in place, it can easily be utilized for a diverse set of business initiatives, including active grid management, energy distribution, and field-worker support, as well as new business ventures, as described in Figure 1. IoT-based infrastructure also enables utilities to generate new revenue streams through additional products and services, such as smart-home programs.

The IoT paradigm allows for new opportunities in data acquisition, decentralized data analysis, decision-making, and actuation.1

Figure 1. Benefits of increased digitalization of power systems.

Active grid management Obtain critical information

about power generated by third parties.

Energy distribution Improve energy

distribution efficiency.

Connected worker Ensure field workers have

the information they need at their fingertips to make them

safer and more efficient.

New business Participate in new

business opportunities, like smart homes.

Solution brief

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Increasing Electric Utility Operational Efficiency and Business OpportunitiesThis year at European Utility Week, Intel and its solution partners will demonstrate how IoT solutions have matured from hype to real-world applications. The showcase will provide examples of how IoT value is being realized in the following areas:

• Deploying active grid management

• Monitoring grid performance

• Managing edge devices remotely

• Increasing worker safety and efficiency

• Pursuing new lines of business

• Connecting grid assets together

• Improving situational awareness

• Metering substations

The following provides more information about the demos on display at the Intel booth.

Figure 2. Active grid management helps utilities to better manage their energy capacity.

Solution Brief | Increasing Electric Utility Operational Efficiency with the Internet of Things

Deploying active grid managementThe energy sector is undergoing a dramatic transformation with regard to how electricity is generated and consumed. As large quantities of residential and commercial solar power, electric vehicles, power storage, and automated home-energy-management systems are added to the distribution grid, the volatility of supply and the risk of over- or under-supply rise. More visibility and control are needed, but many utility companies do not own, control, or have access to data concerning these assets.

Helping to address these challenges, Intel hardware and software products for IoT infrastructure provide essential building blocks for developing secure active grid management solutions. With these products, it is possible to extract actionable information from the vast amount of data collected by Internet-enabled sensors and devices (“things”). This capability allows utilities to obtain critical information about power generated by third parties, thus improving their ability to manage and optimize their businesses.

This demo shows how Intel’s extensive portfolio of open and scalable solutions makes it easier to connect, protect, and manage the new sensors and devices in the power grid. Using the Intel® IoT Platform reference architecture as a foundation, utility companies can improve grid management and reduce their operating costs.

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Monitoring grid performanceIt is critical for utilities to carefully monitor the performance of the grid and take quick remedial action when warranted. Grid monitoring can help utilities to:

• Optimize line voltage to minimize energy loss and line damage while assuring the required level of service.

• Locate the source of sags, surges, and outages, enabling utilities to take preventative action to protect equipment and reduce losses.

• Optimize energy delivery across the feeder network for improved load balancing, faster service restoration, and safer override decisions.

• Identify the source of technical and non-technical losses by comparing time-synchronized energy measurements at feeder boundaries to aggregated downstream meter readings.

• Lower outage investigation time by isolating the fault locations within the protection zone and verify power restoration.

These actions require data that can be provided by a smart edge device, as shown in this demo, to monitor voltage and produce power quality data. The device collects, digitizes, and reports metrology data using high performance utility networks.

Managing edge devices remotelyAs the number of assets with computing power connected to the grid grows, utilities can increase operational efficiency by remotely managing these assets. The benefits include increased uptime, reduced site visits, faster response time, and improved worker safety. Typical remote-management features are power control (switch device on/off), remote desktop, operating system (OS) recovery, remote disk wipe, scheduled wakeup, and application watchdog.

Figure 3. Monitoring performance across the grid can help improve energy distribution efficiency.

Figure 4. Remote device management can increase the efficiency of power system support personnel.

Solution Brief | Increasing Electric Utility Operational Efficiency with the Internet of Things

This can be achieved using Intel® processors with Intel® vPro™ technology, which is a hardware-based, out-of-band remote management solution that works even when the OS or other software components are not present or available.2,3 All that Intel® vPro™ technology-enabled platforms require to operate are power and an Ethernet connection.

This demo (1) boots a powered-down edge server remotely, (2) runs remote desktop to the edge server after an OS crash, and (3) loads a recovery OS. The cost of an Intel® vPro™ technology-enabled platform deployed in a distant location can easily be recovered by addressing software issues remotely, possibly turning a multi-hour onsite-repair visit into a half-hour remote session.

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Increasing safety and efficiency by connecting workersConnected wearable technologies are enabling utilities to optimize operational efficiency and workflows by capturing and integrating real-time employee and environmental data. Wearable technology is minimizing the non-value-added movement of people by providing relevant and actionable data to workers at the right time to avoid safety hazards and improve efficiency.

The demo will include examples of wearable technologies, the latest mobile-device technologies, drone technology for collision avoidance, and augmented reality, which all can drive workplace transformation, with specific examples from Recon & Daqri.

A key showpiece will be the DAQRI SMART HELMET* demo (Figure 5), which enhances human abilities in industrial settings by seamlessly connecting the user to the work environment while providing relevant, contextual information instantaneously. This wearable human machine interface (HMI) is setting a new standard for industrial, professional-grade wearables, and realizes the true potential of augmented reality and 4D in the enterprise space.

Pursuing new lines of businessSmart building technology spending is forecast to grow from $6.3 billion in 2014 to $17.4 billion in 2019—a 22 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR), according to IDC.4 With the help of IoT technologies, utilities can more easily participate in the smart home market segment.

One example is the offering from Alarm.com that integrates all mission-critical systems (Figure 6) in the home into a single service. This demo shows how their interactive platform includes energy management, plus security, automation, video monitoring, and older-adult activity tracking. All of these systems are integrated for a seamless customer experience.

Solution Brief | Increasing Electric Utility Operational Efficiency with the Internet of Things

Figure 5. DAQRI SMART HELMET* provides contextual information in visual and audio formats.

GarageDoor

DoorLocks

VideoCameras

Flood Sensor

SecuritySensors

SolarPanels Shades

Lights

ImageSensor

Thermostats

WaterValve

Figure 6. Alarm.com supports the types of revenue-generating services that utilities could pursue.

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Connecting grid assets togetherThe energy management system (EMS) market is expected to provide exciting new business opportunities for OEMs, ODMs, and SIs. In a study published by MarketsandMarkets, the EMS market is forecast to grow quickly from $32.4 billion in 2016 to $76.8 billion in 2020, which corresponds to a CAGR of nearly 19 percent.5 To achieve this fast growth, solution providers will need to address today’s challenges, which include:

• Complex connectivity: The lack of standards makes it more difficult to connect energy devices to a common, IP-based network.

• Large investment: Significant capital expenditures (CapEx) are required for connectivity, storage, and servers.

• High operating costs: Project-specific solutions, developed to address different requirements, often need separate support structures, which add cost.

• Duplication of effort: Independent energy systems are typically inefficient because they perform the same tasks instead of centralizing them.

• Shortage of IT experience: Smart energy is based on IT, which is a relatively new skill set for the energy industry.

Intel has worked with a number of vendors who offer the robust and hardened IoT gateways shown in this demo. The gateways are available to help OEMs and SIs accelerate the delivery of solutions in the energy industry, particularly with respect to distribution management systems. Examples include:

Improving situational awarenessUtility companies are adapting their infrastructures to support bidirectional energy flow to handle the emergence of DER via microgrids, photovoltaic panels, and local energy storage. As distributed energy generation increases, new intelligence of sensors and measurement equipment will be required to process data at the edge. This can be done with a phase measurement unit (PMU), used to assess transmission-line conditions and enable utilities to load lines closer to their limits.

Demonstrating this capability, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) and Intel developed an advanced, high-accuracy PMU that runs on a platform that consists of:

• A Cyclone* V SoC FPGA that implements the core algorithm

• A GPS receiver that provides the necessary UTC-time synchronization

• An 8-channel, 24-bit delta-sigma ADC to acquire the waveform samples

The platform (Figure 7) synchronizes the PMU-sampling process to the UTC-time reference provided by the PMU GPS receiver, independently of the sampling rate (Fs). The sampling process produces raw samples that are:

• Time-aligned with the GPS pulse per second (PPS)

• Separated by the desired sampling time Ts=1/Fs (Fs = sampling rate)

Solution Brief | Increasing Electric Utility Operational Efficiency with the Internet of Things

Metering substationsWith the increase in variable DER, it is more challenging for substations to deliver sinusoidal and predictable steady-state voltage and current. Utility companies rely on substation metering of secondary voltage (VT) and current transformer (CT) circuits to detect performance issues.

To satisfy this need, SystemCORP and Intel developed an IEC 61850-compliant merging unit solution. In this demo, the SystemCORP* VT/CT Interface Board (Figure 8) provides isolated and safe VT and CT interface channels for the Intel IoT Platform. It allows the platform to directly connect to secondary VT and CT circuits in a substation or to any protection-relay testing equipment that simulates VT and CT circuits. AC measurements in a substation are typically 110 VAC for voltage measurements and 5 amp AC for current measurement provided by secondary VT and CTs.

Based on Intel® technology for FPGA, the platform samples 3-phase VT and CT and generates IEC 61850 sampled values (SV) in hardware, which are fed into substation-automation intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) for further processing.

Figure 7. Cyclone* V SoC FPGA-based smart grid platform

Figure 8. SystemCORP* VT/CT Interface Board

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AAEON* Gateways (AIOT-QA, AIOT-QG, and AIOT-QM)

Running on the Intel® Quark™ SoC X1000, AAEON’s trio of IoT-specific gateways is designed to enable an IoT lifestyle both indoors and outdoors. Along with the low-power-consuming chips, the devices are equipped with the Wind River* Intelligent Platform, Linux* support, McAfee® Embedded Control security technology, and Bluetooth/Wi-Fi/3G connectivity to ensure the most flexible and secure option for implementing IoT.

Advantech* UTX-3115 Fanless Compact Box PC The UTX-3115 is based on the Intel® IoT Gateway and the dual-core Intel® Atom™ processor E3800 product family. Integrated and validated components provide maximum flexibility, fast application development, and field deployment. The UTX-3115 IoT gateway includes Wind River* Intelligent Device Platform (IDP), which is a complete software-development environment used for building IoT applications and devices that communicate with the cloud.

Dell* Edge Gateway 5000 Series

The Dell* Edge Gateway 5000 Series aggregates, secures, and relays data from diverse sensors and equipment to a data center or the cloud. Based on the Intel® Atom™ processor E3825, it provides the capacity to perform local analytics so only meaningful information is sent to the next tier. This minimizes consumption of expensive network bandwidth and reduces overall solution latency. It is a fanless, solid-state, and industrial-grade form factor design.

Firmwave* Edge

This edge sensor platform makes it quick and easy to connect, manage, and maintain edge devices in an efficient and secure way. Built-in hardware and firmware modules take advantage of the power and flexibility of Intel® Quark™ microcontroller D2000 and provide native support for open standards communications protocols. An internal sensor hub supports a vast array of sensor categories and connection types and is fully extensible.

Solution Brief | Increasing Electric Utility Operational Efficiency with the Internet of Things

NEXCOM* NIO 100 Series IoT Gateways

The gateways connect the edge to the cloud with data buffering to ensure reliable data transmission and support for multiple communication protocols. They collect data from building systems and sensor networks with support for Wi-Fi, PROFIBUS*, PROFINET*, DeviceNet*, EtherNet/IP*, EtherCAT*, Modbus*, ZigBee*, Z-Wave*, and fieldbus. Included are the Intel® Quark™ SoC X1021, Wind River* Intelligent Device Platform, and McAfee® Embedded Control.

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Visit the Intel BoothAs the electric grid changes, utility companies are searching for new ways to optimize electricity supply and demand while managing the operation of both new and legacy grid assets. At the same time, they’re looking for ways to reduce operating and capital costs. Please visit the Intel booth at European Utility Week to learn how IoT solutions based on Intel® technology can help utilities, OEMS, ODMs, and SI make this a reality—and how to pursue smart home business opportunities.

For more information about Intel® solutions for the electrical energy industry, visit http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/energy/energy-overview.html.

Intel® technologies may require enabled hardware, specific software, or services activation. Performance varies depending on system configuration. No computer system can be absolutely secure. Check with your system manufacturer or retailer or learn more at intel.com.1. Rose, Alan et. al., “How the Internet of Things Will Enable Vast New Levels of Efficiency.” 2014 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings.

http://aceee.org/files/proceedings/2014/data/papers/9-832.pdf.2. Intel® vPro™ technology is sophisticated and requires setup and activation. Availability of features and results will depend upon the setup and configuration of your hardware, software, and IT

environments. To learn more, visit www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/architecture-and-technology/vpro/vpro-technology-general.html.3. Requires activation and a system with a corporate network connection, an Intel® AMT-enabled chipset, network hardware, and software. For notebooks, Intel® AMT may be unavailable or limited

over a host OS-based VPN, when connecting wirelessly, or on battery power, sleeping, hibernating, or powered off. Results dependent upon hardware, setup, and configuration. For more information, visit www.intel.com/technology/vpro/index.htm.

4. “Business Strategy: Global Smart Building Technology Spending 2015–2019 Forecast.” IDC, 2015, http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=EI254932.5. “Energy Management System (EMS) Market worth 76.75 Billion USD by 2021.” MarketsandMarkets, 2016.

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/energy-management-systems-ems.asp.Copyright © 2016 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved. Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Atom, Intel vPro, and Quark are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries.McAfee and the McAfee logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries.*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

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