The Marriage of Utilities and Communications Networks in Smart Grid Implementations. Cyndi Smith Solutions Executive, Utilities and Communications

Transcription

1 The Marriage of Utilities and Communications Networks in Smart Grid Implementations Cyndi Smith Solutions Executive, Utilities and Communications

2 Abstract Utilities require more and more complex communications networks to realize their Smart Grid initiatives. As the operation of utilities networks becomes increasingly dependent on communications, what is the impact on the supporting IT systems and work processes? This presentation will examine the role that Communications Operations Support Systems (OSS) can play in utilities Smart Grid initiatives and the technology considerations associated with their relationship to other utilities IT systems and geospatial information technology.

3 High Level Characteristics of Communications Service Provider Networks Multi-technology wireline and wireless Sometimes overlay Smart Grid network coverage needs Must link a wide range of systems Must provide for a high degree of interoperability and redundancy May be CSP owned, leased, or contracted Require innovation in differentiating services and consumer choices Carry significant amounts of real-time data to operational systems that must interpret and react (action) Must collect and warehouse the data to be pushed further up into the communications enterprise Must support complex relationships with the consumer including consumer interaction and managing service level expectations Highly driven by competitive pressures

4 High Level Characteristics of Smart Grid Communications Networks Multi-technology wireline and wireless WANs, LANs, FANs, HANs, BANs Sometimes overlay CSP network coverage Must link a wide range of systems Must provide for a high degree of interoperability and redundancy May be utility-owned, leased, or contracted Require innovation in differentiating services and consumer choices Carry significant amounts of real-time data to operational systems that must interpret and react (action) Must collect and warehouse the data to be pushed further up into the utility enterprise and to various departments that may not previously dealt with real-time data. Must support complex relationships with the consumer including consumer interaction and managing service level expectations Somewhat driven by competitive pressures

5 Particular Challenges of Smart Grid Communications Networks Need for Omnipresence FCC Processes Reliability Latency Security Established network standards esp. from & within homes/buildings Spur or last-mile communications: large area coverage and balancing performance with cost New mountains of data, warehousing, and knowledge management for decision/actions More.

6 Utilities and CSP Networks Potential Advantages Cheaper to use existing than build CSP Networks faster Potential synergies - In-home networks and relationships with CSPs, security Companies, Google, etc. Less capital expenditure to build new networks Can facilitate Rapid deployment Standards based networks with continuous investment Experience Existing information technologies and systems in place.

7 Industry Predictions Pike Research projects that worldwide smart grid service provider revenues will rise from $2.2 billion in 2009 to 4.9 billion in Wireless network operators will see the strongest growth, with revenues increasing six-fold during that period, researchers said. However, private networks will retain the lion s share of smart grid communications nodes deployed Pike Research s report, Smart Grid Networking and Communications

8 Utilities Telecom Council Study Key Findings Reliability is the number-one criteria for utility communications networks. The advent of the smart grid, which has spurred a number of efforts to standardize industry technologies and protocols, promises to create a more uniform set of architectures, configurations and applications for utilities in the future. The scope, structure and technologies of utility communications vary widely from utility to utility. Under current and future technology scenarios, certain key technical factors are mandatory for safe, reliable and secure utility operations. Extreme High Reliability Higher Bandwidth Very low Latency Ubiquitous Coverage (i.e. broadband coverage is not universal to utilities needs) Tight Security Uninterrupted Power Supplies Communications service providers face increased opportunities in utility communications but must meet utilities key reliability, technical and cost requirements.

9 Questions Smart Grid Communications Networks are essentially overlay control network comprised of Communications and Information Technology What can Utilities learn from CSPs? What is the potential role of Communications IT (OSS) in Smart Grid? What will the convergence of OSS with existing utilities systems be?

10 What can Utilities learn from CSPs? Challenges facing the electricity industry are very similar to the challenges that the communications industry faced a decade ago. Can/should they take advantage of the experience? CSPs have been through: Analog to digital Circuit to packet Dial-up to broadband Wireless 2G to 3G to 4G, LTE CSPs have achieved adoption of standards-based, open technologies. Utilities need to achieve Open Standards, Interoperability, yet closed Access. Communications OSS are established systems

11 What is Communications B/OSS? Communications Operations Support Systems typically describes "network systems" dealing with the comms network itself, supporting processes such as maintaining network inventory, configuring network components, and managing faults. The complementary term Business Support Systems or BSS typically refers to "business systems" dealing with customers, supporting processes such as taking orders, processing bills, and collecting payments. The two systems together are often abbreviated BSS/OSS or simply B/OSS. Billing Systems Customer Care Service Fulfillment Service Assurance Network Management Systems (NMS)

12 What is Communications OSS? Service Fulfillment Service Assurance Manage and fulfill orders Manage dynamic network inventory Activate services Plan and engineer network Network Management Systems (NMS) Manage Services Fault Management Performance Management Workforce Automation Network Testing

13 Where s the Geospatial Technology? In some cases a platform for applications and in others a supporting technology A decision support tool for network planning and analysis Platform for engineering applications that typically feed the network inventory and other enterprise systems Can feed or be a component of the inventory Can enable optimization of work force automation Field applications play a role in Network operations Service assurance Geospatial Visualization and Analysis can aid: Customer Care Order Management Fault Management More

14 What is the potential role of Communications OSS technology in Smart Grid? Service Fulfillment Service Assurance Manage dynamic network inventory Activate services Plan and engineer network Network Management Systems (NMS) Manage Services Fault Management Performance Management Network Testing

15 What will the convergence of OSS with existing utilities systems be? Billing Customer Care Service Fulfillment Manage and fulfill orders Plan and engineer network Service Assurance Workforce Automation Network Management Systems (NMS)

16 What about the Business Systems? Legacy Utilities Billing Systems Designed for flat-rate tariffs Batch processing of meter readings based on regular billing cycles. Challenged to handle the readings that smart meters produce Not designed for schemes s.a. Time-of-Use, Dynamic Pricing, etc. Need to handle usage and event based tariffs, higher transaction volumes Communications BSS Sophisticated pricing and charging models in use for years Supporting systems have become mature in handling complex usage based billing and managing the associated information streams

17 TM Forum corporate members in 195 countries Comprehensive set of mature solution frameworks (NGOSS), ready-made software, and interfaces Training, member-only frameworks, best practice guides and standards, ready-made interfaces, research and publications Industry events, Catalyst and Content Encounter live integrated demonstrations Smart Grid Working Group Upcoming Energy Smart Grid: MW2011 ESG Catalyst Dublin Conference, May

18 Frameworx version 1.0 copyright TeleManagement Forum (TM Forum), May All rights reserved.

19 Smart Grid Driven Organizational and Process Change Complexity of operations increases dramatically across utilities organizations, and particularly in IT Multi-disciplined and cross-trained? Field crews Operations Center specialists Customer Service representatives Designers, Engineer, and Geospatial Technologists

20 Summary Utilities are some of the largest private telecommunications companies CSPs are aggressively seeking utilities business Hybrid approaches (CSP + private network) can offer advantages to Utilities CSPs must address network reliability and more for Smart Grid Evolution and convergence of IT systems and operating processes will continue Geospatial Technology plays a key role across many aspects of Smart Grid Communications Networks Utilities will take advantage of BSS/OSS (B/OSS) technologies

21 More Information Utilities Telecom Council: NIST Interoperability Roadmap: TM Forum: IEEE Communications Society: DOE:

22 The Marriage of Utilities and Communications Networks in Smart Grid Implementations Cyndi Smith Solutions Executive, Utilities and Communications