The rollout of smart grid solutions has already started and new methods are deployed to the power systems of today. However, complexity is still increasing as focus is moving from a single system, to a system of systems perspective. The results are increasing engineering efforts and escalating costs. For this reason, new and automated engineering methods are necessary. This paper addresses these needs with a rapid engineering methodology that covers the overall engineering process for smart grid applications—from use case design to deployment. Based on a model-driven development approach, the methodology consists of three main parts: use case modeling, code generation, and deployment. A domain-specific language is introduced supporting the use case design according to the Smart Grid Architecture Model. It is combined with the IEC 61499 distributed control model to improve the function layer design. After a completed use case design, executable code and communication configurations (e.g., IEC 61850) are generated and deployed onto compatible field devices. This paper covers the proposed rapid engineering methodology and a corresponding prototypical implementation which is validated in a laboratory experiment. Compared to other methods the proposed methodology decreases the number of engineering steps and reduces the use case design and implementation complexity.

Engineering Smart Grids: Applying Model-Driven Development from Use Case Design to Deployment

In order to handle the increasing complexity of smart grid systems, detailed use case and requirements engineering has become indispensable. For this purpose the Smart Grid Reference Architecture Model (SGAM) has emerged as the major methodology. This paper presents a textual Domain Specific Language (DSL) based on SGAM, optimized for rapid prototyping of smart grid applications using a model-driven engineering approach with automatic code generation. The goal of this approach is to support the development process of smart Grid applications, from use case description to implementation. The paper presents a use case described by the DSL and shows how an IEC 61499 control application and an IEC 61850 communication configuration can be automatically generated.

Applying the SGAM methodology for rapid prototyping of smart Grid applications

A driving force for the realization of a sustainable energy supply is the integration of renewable energy resources. Due to their stochastic generation behaviour, energy utilities are confronted with a more complex operation of the underlying power grids. Additionally, due to technology developments, controllable loads, integration with other energy sources, changing regulatory rules, and the market liberalization, the system’s operation needs adaptation. Proper operational concepts and intelligent automation provide the basis to turn the existing power system into an intelligent entity, a cyber-physical energy system. The electric energy system is therefore moving from a single system to a system of systems. While reaping the benefits with new intelligent behaviors, it is expected that system-level developments, architectural concepts, advanced automation and control as well as the validation and testing will play a significantly larger role in realizing future solutions and technologies. The implementation and deployment of these complex systems of systems are associated with increasing engineering complexity resulting also in increased engineering costs. Proper engineering and validation approaches, concepts, and tools are partly missing until now. Therefore, this paper discusses and summarizes the main needs and requirements as well as the status quo in research and development related to the engineering and validation of cyber-physical energy systems. Also research trends and necessary future activities are outlined.

Engineering and Validating Cyber-Physical Energy Systems: Needs, Status Quo, and Research Trends

A huge set of Smart Grid related standards already exist and is continuously being updated in various technical working groups in various parts of the world. Ongoing EU-funded ELECTRA Integrated Research Programme (IRP) on Smart Grids [1] aims to re-use the existing standards within its in progress activities considering to be in compliance with the standardization groups like CEN/CENELEC/ETSI, NIST and others. Moving towards the implementation of the functional architecture, it is important to be aware of the information to be exchanged and how communication protocols can be used in support of Smart Grid information exchange. Therefore, a reference method needs to be developed for assessing and classifying the ICT interoperability standards and specifications. The existing Common Assessment Method for Standards and Specifications (CAMSS) is thought to be a tool for Public Administration choices of standards, especially for e-government and e-procurement in EU. Despite CAMSS defines an evaluation schema for standards and specifications via an Excel tool, this paper shows that the CAMSS approach needs to be modified and adapted for the goals of ELECTRA IRP. Moreover, the elaborated tool would not only be useful for ELECTRA purposes but it would be used in a broader Smart Grid (SG) perspective as well and also, with some slight adaptations, more in general, for all complex contexts involving a high number of standards (e.g. the Smart City context).

Aleksander Babs

Papers

Looking for the unified classification and evaluation approach of SG interface standards for the purposes of ELECTRA IRP