*A first of a series of technical articles for IIOT in Power Engineering industry. Join our mailing list to find out more as we explore specific applications!

Soon, the cities of tomorrow will be turning towards smart grid

The Advent of Smart Grid:

With the rise in electrical costs and the stringent regulations/deregulation of energy markets, there has been an increased in the advocacy of turning towards the Smart Grid to overcome the challenges of today’s energy markets.

Evidently, the building blocks of implementing the Smart Grid are already underway in various countries.

Initiatives such as:

• Relying on renewable energy
• The erecting of small micro-grids to provide power to smaller residential areas
• Limitless choices for consumers to choose their energy suppliers
• The different ways of how energy is being manufactured (whether its solar, wind or coal)

To harmonize this plethora of choices requires sturdy flow of information to ensure grid reliability.

Therefore, for the full potential of the Smart Grid to be realized, Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution needs to be equipped with digital control and monitoring, and the capability of telecommunications.

With these, all stakeholders in the smart grid will gain access to valuable information needed to ensure optimization of Smart Grid.

An example of a city powered by data and electricity – The Smart Grid

Courtesy: Fluke Corporation

IOT and Smart Grid:

As such, IOT has been proven to be useful. IOT is about integrating connectivity to all kinds of items.

This is essentially needed to achieve what has been discussed earlier.

In addition, IOT focuses on the potential of big data analysis. When utilized in the Power Industry, there will be the prospect of predictive analytics and allowing for proactive instead of reactive operations.

Understand data. Manage cost and electricity outputs. See breakdowns occurring real time

This allows for:

• Capital expenditure and maintenance costs to be decreased.
• Energy demand to be managed more effectively.
• More robust energy mix among other benefits.

However, the issue here is that implementing IOT to the commercial or common industrial sphere is much easier compared to implementing IOT to critical infrastructures such as the power grid.

The market realizes this and has aptly come up with the term, Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT), focusing on implementing IOT in critical infrastructures.

Some additional focus of IIOT includes:
1) Cyber security

2) Easy retrofitting

3) Reliable industrial telecommunications

4) And in Power Industry: IEC61850

The power industry of tomorrow. Powered by IIOT

IIOT in power industry and its primary application?

Power Generation: Predictive maintenance of equipment, planning for optimal power generation
Power Transmission: Minimizing operational loss
Power Distribution: Visibility of last mile (LV) data

Distributed Energy Resources: Establishment of Virtual Power Plants (VPP)
Customer Premises: Dynamic Pricing, automated demand-response energy

At Phoenix Contact, we have products that cater to IEC61850 International Standards, perfect to facilitate IIOT.

We also specialize in cyber-security and Industrial Communications.

All of these are supplied in enclosures that can be easily retrofitted on existing assets like switchgears and transformers. Who says IIOT means forking out on new hardware?

Our products are built to ensure that your current business is given a boost.

Future-proof your business. Sign up to our newsletter to receive regular updates on IIOT and automation, as well as exclusive product demo on site.

What are you waiting for?

Contact us at marketing@phoenixcontact.com.sg to find out more!