The foundation of the Smart Grid

June 2014 Fieldbus & Industrial Networking

Over the past decade, two trends have converged that have caused many utilities to re-evaluate their substation communications infrastructure. One is the migration of the electrical grid from a reliable, but inflexible system to the ‘Smart Grid’, which promises adaptability and efficiency. It also requires the two-way communication of data, something that is not possible with traditional electrical grids.

The other trend is the increasing adoption by industry of Ethernet networking technologies for their communications. The ARC Advisory Group estimates that the adoption of industrial Ethernet networks is growing at a >12% plus CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate).

As a result of these trends, many utilities are faced with having to design and implement communication infrastructures that are unlike anything they have been involved with before.

If you are an engineer, field technician, manager or IT professional involved with such a project, you may be wondering where to begin. Alternatively, if you are working with an automation vendor or system integrator, you may want to become better informed to contribute to the project’s success.

To help, we have consolidated our learning and experience from assisting hundreds of customers around the world to design robust substation communications networks. The result is an easy-to-follow process that will guide you when designing new or upgraded communications systems. Here are the 10 best practices discussed in this white paper:

* Segment operational networks.

* Add serial communications devices to Ethernet infrastructure.

* The importance of Power over Ethernet.

* Time synchronisation.

* Selecting appropriate switches and routers for the environment.

* Building multiple layers of security.

* Adding communications infrastructure between master, backup and substations.

* Choosing the correct cables, jackets and connectors.

* Vendor selection.

* Good project management.

This white paper will walk you through each of the best practices, explaining the importance of each one and providing guidance on how to apply it to your needs.

To download the White Paper to a mobile device visit http://instrumentation.co.za/+C18945

For more information contact Greg Pokroy, Jaycor International, +27 (0)21 447 4247, greg@jaycor.co.za, www.jaycor.co.za

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