Connected devices are disrupting numerous industries, with the power utility sector being no exception. Power utility companies currently face four primary challenges stemming from the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT):
-
Machines, controllers, Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI), and SCADA systems are increasingly being cloud-connected by vendors who promise enhanced analytics and insights via their data for predictive and preventative maintenance. However, strict quarantine policies regarding critical assets prevent power companies from utilizing these new IoT features offered by machine and controller vendors.
-
As the cost of solar and wind power microgrids continues to drop, utility companies will soon experience declining revenue from power generation. To offset this lost revenue, companies must aggressively pursue new revenue streams, such as Home Energy Management as a Service, Energy Storage as a Service, offering grid services for EV charging, and grid services for P2P energy trading between homes, between homes and microgrids, between microgrids, from microgrids to batteries, and from homes to batteries. All of these services require facilitation through smart metering, smart grids, and smart, secured transactions, achievable only via Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) such as IOTA. Additionally, utilities are exploring the provision of certain smart city services to municipal authorities.
-
For critical infrastructure such as dams, the ICOLD (International Committee of Large Dams) mandates real-time Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of dams. This allows for the early detection of impending collapse risks in dams, rock formations, or tunnels, enabling the timely evacuation of potentially affected populations.
-
Another emerging revenue opportunity is EV charging in parking facilities—specifically, how IoT can facilitate smart charging and smart parking solutions.
Over the past three years, IoT engineering has undergone massive changes, primarily driven by Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. These industry giants have invested billions of dollars to develop IoT platforms that are easier to manage and more secure. Furthermore, IoT edge computing has gained significant momentum in both research and deployment, now considered the only viable means for practical IoT implementation. 5G is poised to transform the IoT business landscape, leading to an unprecedented surge in research funding for new IoT areas. Consequently, for any practicing engineer, it is absolutely essential to understand the IoT platforms developed by major players like AWS, Google, and especially Microsoft.
However, none of the aforementioned platforms offer a completely exhaustive or comprehensive solution for scalable IoT. For instance, deploying smart meters to millions of homes requires additional technologies to secure the meters, establish radio networks, implement IoT management technology, and provide various other secured services. The strategy, pricing, and security of any IoT deployment must be optimized and acceptable. Given the vast amount of interdisciplinary knowledge required, it is almost impossible for any single company to assemble a team capable of meeting all these requirements.
This course is a modest attempt to educate key decision-makers, developers, and security experts on the challenges, risks, and practical methods for deploying IoT for their next-generation power utility business.
In addition, with scalable deployment, managing IoT services for thousands of sensors and connections is emerging as a distinct engineering research subject. This area, formerly known as managed IoT services, is experiencing rapid growth as the challenges of scalable IoT are much greater than building them. This includes securing over-the-top firmware/software updates, managing sensor and system calibration, auto-diagnosing connection issues, narrowing down the root cause of API failures, and tracking the hardware and service health of distributed systems.
Course objectives
The main objective of the course is to introduce emerging technological options, platforms, and case studies of IoT implementation in Power Utility Companies, including Smart Metering, Smart Cars, SHM (Structural Health Monitoring), Power Quality Diagnosis, and Smart Contracts. It provides a basic introduction to all elements of IoT—mechanical components, electronics/sensor platforms, wireless and wireline protocols, mobile-to-electronics integration, mobile-to-enterprise integration, data-analytics, and control plane applications.
-
IoT Technology Stacks: Devices, Gateways, Edge, Edge Cloud, Public Cloud, IoT databases, Web & Mobile Applications for IoT, Centralized vs Decentralized IoT
-
IoT ecosystem for Business, third-party device management, and risk management of the entire IoT ecosystem
-
M2M Wireless protocols for IoT: WiFi, SigFox, LORA, LPWAN, Zigbee/Zwave, Bluetooth, ANT+: When and where to use each one
-
Fundamentals of IoT Gateways: Risks, Management, and Ecosystem
-
Mobile/Desktop/Web apps for registration, data acquisition, and control – Available M2M data acquisition platforms for IoT: AWS IoT, Azure IoT, Google IoT
-
Security issues and solutions for IoT: Review of security across all technology stacks
-
Enterprise IoT platforms such as Microsoft Azure IoT suites, AWS IoT, Google IoT, Siemens MindSphere
-
Smart Metering, Open Smart Grid Protocols (OSGP), ANSI C 2.18 Protocols, NIST Standard for HAN (Home Area Network), Home Plug Powerline Alliance, Security Standard for Smart Meter: IEC 62056
-
Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) such as Blockchain, HyperLedger, and DAG (Directed Acyclic Graph) for smart contracts, P2P transactions, and smart car charging
-
IoT for critical infrastructure like Dams, Transformers, Sub-stations, High Tension Wires
Read more...
