Role of Information and Communications Technologies in Building Smart Grid: Technologies and Markets

PracTel Inc, September 2009

This report addresses multiple subjects associated with the development of Smart Grid ICT. It, particular, concentrates on the following items:

-Standardization process: it is mostly at the beginning stage. Smart Grid technologies can improve the reliability, security, and efficiency of the electrical grid. Intelligent devices can automatically adjust to changing conditions to prevent blackouts and increase capacity. While currently available, a lack of standards and increased upfront cost hinder the deployment of smart grid technologies. Uniform standards will simplify new equipment selection and installation. The IEEE and all other major standard organizations are involved in the standardization process for Smart Grid ICT. There are also multiple industry groups, manufacturers’ consortiums and other organizations that are providing input. So far, the standards landscape is complex, with some duplications and lack of leadership. The picture, probably, will soon change when the ISO and IEEE come up with standards.

-ICT for Smart Grid: this section addresses communications technologies for the evolving Grid and, particular, for AMR. It analyzes the current status of ICT development as well as the market and provides the survey of major industry players.

-ZigBee and IEEE 802.15.4: Smart Grid is utilizing a combination of wireless communications technologies, but ZigBee radios may become the major devices in the Smart Grid environment. These radios characteristics, their extremely low power consumption and ability to work adaptively with various sensors make ZigBee/IEEE 802.15.4 technology an excellent candidate for Smart Grid communications applications. The report details advanced ZigBee radio features, their market and applications.

-Power harvesting: the report shows that the Smart Grid communications infrastructure may require millions of battery-powered wireless sensors, radios and other equipment. This potentially adds to maintenance cost and creates a threat to the ecology - all these batteries have to be eventually disposed. The report analyzes problems for the Green environment when billions batteries are disposed already every year, and the Smart Grid development may add a significant amount of new pollutions. The report addresses the growth of the power harvesting industry and provides survey of major vendors’ products.

Altogether, this report is useful for a large group of researches, developers, management, and manufacturers involved in the building of the Smart Grid - it analyzes current directions of ICT development to effectively support this grid.

Research Methodology

Considerable research was done using the Internet. Information from various Web sites was studied and analyzed. Evaluation of publicly available marketing and technical publications was conducted. Telephone conversations and interviews were held with industry analysts, technical experts and executives. In addition to these interviews and primary research, secondary sources were used to develop a more complete mosaic of the market landscape, including industry and trade publications, conferences and seminars.

The overriding objective throughout the work has been to provide valid and relevant information. This has led to a continual review and update of the information content.

Target Audience

This report is important to a wide population of researches, technical and sales staff involved in the developing of the Smart Grid ICT. It is recommended for both service providers and vendors that are working with related technologies. The report also helps to understand issues associated with relationship between “green” Smart Grid ICT and other technologies.

1.0 Introduction

1.1 General

1.2 U.S.

1.3 England

1.4 Definition

1.5 Developing

1.6 Scope

1.7 Research Methodology

1.8 Target Audience 3

2.0 Standardization Efforts: ICT

2.1 Structure

2.2 Requirements

2.3 IEEE-802.15.4g-Smart Utility Networks

2.3.1 Need

2.3.2 Details

2.3.2.1 Major Characteristics

2.3.2.2 Considerations

2.3.2.3 Network Requirements

2.4 Global Intelligent Utility Network Coalition

2.5 Smart Networks Counsel (SNC)

2.6 U-SNAP Alliance

2.7 Accenture Intelligent City Network

2.8 Advanced Grid Infrastructure Initiative

2.9 NextGrid

2.10 GridWise Alliance

2.11 Appliances

2.12 ETSI

2.13 EPRI (Electrical Power Research Institute)

2.14 Hughes Broadband Alliance Program

2.15 ZigBee

2.16 European Smart Metering Industry Group

2.17 NIST

2.18 Comments

3.0 Smart Grid ICT

3.1 Federal Smart Grid Task Force

3.2 General: ICT

3.3 Current Status

3.4 Current Objectives

3.5 Choices

3.6 Smart Meters

3.6.1 Details

3.7 Security

3.8 Developments

3.9 Market

3.9.1 Market Drivers

3.9.2 Reality

3.9.3 Market Projections: Smart Meters

3.9.4 Smart Grid ICT-Market Estimate

3.10 Industry

Aclara (Software and Systems, BPL)

Aeris (Wireless Network Provider)

Analog Devices (RF Transceivers)

AT&T/SmartSynch (Network Services)

Carlson Wireless (Radio Platforms)

Current Group (Systems)

Cisco (IP-based Infrastructure, hardware)

Eka Systems (Network Nodes-Mesh)

Elster (AMI, AMR)

Echelon (Smart Metering System)

eMeter (Management Software)

GE (Hardware and Software-Smart Meters)

GreenBox (Management Platform)

GridPoint (Network Platform)

Grid Net (Network Management Software)

Infotility (Software)

Itron (Intelligent Metering)

Oracle (Software)

Landis+Gyr (Metering Devices)

Sensus Metering Systems (Data Collection and Metering)

SmartSynch (Networking)

Silver Spring Networks (Networking)

Siemens (Software)

TransData (Wireless AMI/AMR Meter)

Trilliant (Intelligent Metering)

4.0 ZigBee

4.1 General

4.2 Technology

4.2.1 Major Features

4.2.2 Device Types

4.2.3 Protocol Stack

4.2.3.1 Physical and MAC layers – IEEE802.15.4

4.2.3.1.1 Frame

4.2.3.2 Upper Layers

4.2.3.2.1 Interoperability

4.2.3.2.2 Security

4.2.4 Platform Considerations

4.2.4.1 Battery Life

4.2.5 ZigBee Technology Benefits and Limitations

4.3 Standardization Process

4.3.1 ZigBee Alliance

4.3.1.1 Objectives

4.3.1.2 Smart Energy Profile-ICT for Smart Grid

4.3.1.2.1 Features

4.3.1.3 ZigBee IP

4.3.2 802.15.4- ZigBee Basis

4.3.2.1 IEEE 802.15.4 Radio

4.3.2.2 Application Specifics - Profiles

4.4 Applications

4.4.1 General

4.4.2 Home

4.4.2.1 PC

4.4.3 Manufacturing

4.4.4 WSN-UGS and ZigBee

4.4.4.1 ZigBee Role

4.4.5 “Green” ZigBee

4.5. Market

4.5.1 Expectations

4.5.2 Segments

4.5.3 Forecast

4.6 Industry

Airbee (Software)

Amber (RF Modules)

Arch Rock (WSN)

Atmel (Chipsets)

CEL (Modules)

Chipcon –TI (Chipsets)

Cirronet-RFM (Modules-Industrial Applications)

Crossbow (WSN, Environment Monitoring, motes)

Digi (Radios, Routers, Energy Management)

Duolog (Transceivers)

Ember (Chipsets)

Falcom (Modules)

GreenPeak (WSN)

Helicomm (Modules)

Jennic (Chipsets-Modules)

Freescale (Chipsets)

Nuri Telecom (AMR Application)

Oki (Chipsets)

Renesas (Platforms, AMR)

Silicon Laboratories (Chipsets, Modules)

Synapse (Module, Protocols)

Telegesis (Integrator, Modules)

TI (Chipsets)

5.0 ICT Non-traditional Power Sources – Friends of Environment

5.1 Methods

5.2 Batteries

5.3 New Technologies

5.3.1 Energy Sources

5.3.2 Industry

AdaptivEnergy

Advanced Cerametrics (ACI)

Advanced Linear Devices

AD Hoc Electronics

AmbioSystems

Ambient Micro

Apollo Solar

Cymbet

EnOcean

GreenPeak

GreyStone

JDL

Jennic

Micropelt

Nokia

Perpetuum

Perpetua

Powercast

Schneider Electric

Sentilla

TI

Zarlink Semiconductor

6.0 Conclusions

Appendix I: SEC. 1301. STATEMENT OF POLICY ON MODERNIZATION OF ELECTRICITY GRID.

Appendix II: Smart Meters Deployments Plans

Figure 1: Illustration

Figure 2: ICT Infrastructure

Figure 3: Smart Grid Connectivity

Figure 4: U.S. Smart Meters Installation-Addressable Market (Unit Mil.)

Figure 5: U.S. Smart Meters Installation-Addressable Market (($M)

Figure 6: U.S. Smart Grid ICT-Addressable Market ($B)

Figure 7: ZigBee Protocol Stack

Figure 8: Profiles

Figure 9: Estimate: ZigBee Modules Market Worldwide ($M)

Figure 10: Estimate: ZigBee Modules Market Worldwide (M Units)

Figure 11: ZigBee Market Segmentation (2009)

Figure 12: ZigBee Market Segmentation (2013)

Table 1: NIST Standards

Table 2: ZigBee Parameters

Table 3: ZigBee Smart Energy Profile Feature Set

Table 4: Sources

- AD Hoc Electronics

- AdaptivEnergy

- Advanced Cerametrics (ACI)

- Advanced Linear Devices

- Airbee (Software)

- Amber (RF Modules)

- Ambient Micro

- AmbioSystems

- Apollo Solar

- Arch Rock (WSN)

- Atmel (Chipsets)

- CEL (Modules)

- Chipcon –TI (Chipsets)

- Cirronet-RFM (Modules-Industrial Applications)

- Crossbow (WSN, Environment Monitoring, motes)

- Cymbet

- Digi (Radios, Routers, Energy Management)

- Duolog (Transceivers)

- Ember (Chipsets)

- EnOcean

- Falcom (Modules)

- Freescale (Chipsets)

- GreenPeak

- GreenPeak (WSN)

- GreyStone

- Helicomm (Modules)

- JDL

- Jennic

- Jennic (Chipsets-Modules)

- Micropelt

- Nokia

- Nuri Telecom (AMR Application)

- Oki (Chipsets)

- Perpetua

- Perpetuum

- Powercast

- Renesas (Platforms, AMR)

- Schneider Electric

- Sentilla

- Silicon Laboratories (Chipsets, Modules)

- Synapse (Module, Protocols)

- Telegesis (Integrator, Modules)

- TI

- TI (Chipsets)

- Zarlink Semiconductor

Customers who bought this item also bought

• Advances in WSN and Smart Sensors Developments: Technologies and Markets
• Smart Utility Networks – Developmental Trends
• Wireless Mesh Networks and their Applications in Homeland Security: Market and Technologies
• Wi-Fi New Frontiers Technologies and Markets Development
• Wireless Health Market (Wlan, Wman, Wpan, Sensors, Smartphones, Tablet Pc, Mobile Apps) - Global Trends, Opportunities, Competitive Landscape & Forecasts Till 2016
• IP-Enabled Consumer Electronics: Internet Video & Digital Media to the TV
• End-to-End M2M, Sixth Edition
• Internet of Things (IoT) & Machine-To-Machine (M2M) Communication Market – Advanced Technologies, Future Cities & Adoption Trends, Roadmaps & Worldwide Forecasts (2012 – 2017)
• Dynamic bundle: Future of Smart Grids, the ICT and Data Management Perspective
• The Future of Direct Communications Technologies and Proximity-based Applications and Services