IEEE Hammers Out Two Principles for Elegant Grids

The IEEE concluded one standard and superior another to help lay the groundwork for interoperable smart electric grids.

The IEEE ratified its 1815 Distributed Network Protocol standard for electric power systems communications. Then protocol is a version of a bequest technology expanded for greater device interoperability and security particularly in managerial control and data purchase systems.

The standard was completed in seven months in association with the DNP Users Group. DNP3 is already one of the most prevalent and commonly specific protocols in use today, said George Arnold, NIST’s National Coordinator for Smart Grid Interoperability. IEEE has done a significant job of uniting an array of stakeholders to deliver a firm based upon which Smart Grid technologies can be built and deployed, he said in a press statement.

IEEE 1815 supports a NIST goal of mapping DNP to the IEC's 61850 Object standard. Separately, the IEEE has completed a draft standard for 1547.8. The pattern provides a platform for distributed resources interconnection applications and supports distributed energy storage systems. The spec should be ratified in 2012.

The standard provides greater support for alternating renewable energy sources, and more flexible use of inverters such as found in home solar power systems. It also addresses energy storage devices, hybrid generation-storage systems and aspects of plug-in electric vehicles.