1. Smart Grid Research Consortium Conference Austin, Texas Mark Ponder President ElectSolve Technology Solutions and Services, Inc. mponder@ElectSolve.com (877) 221-2055 November 8 2010

2. Smart Grid Communications/Interoperability Issues

3. 3Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 Mark Ponder: President ElectSolve Technology Solutions and Services, Inc. Company: I/T Professional Services Company with 10+ Year Proven Track Record Focused on Utility Systems Development, Integration & Support Market Focus: Electric Distribution Cooperatives and Electric G & T Cooperatives Municipal and Small Investor Owned Utilities (electric, water and gas) Deregulated Electric Market Participants across US & Canada About ElectSolve

4. 4Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Solutions Meter/Operational Data Management Customer Energy Portal Line Loss Analysis & Reporting System Complex Power Billing Module Demand Response/Load Control Energy Settlement & Market Reporting Utility I/T Support and Systems Integration Technology Roadmaps & Project Mgmt ProductService

5. 5Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid SmartGRID – The new buzzword

6. 6Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid SmartGRID – The new buzzword We hear everyone talking about it

7. 7Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid SmartGRID – The new buzzword We hear everyone talking about it Most of us agree that it makes sense

8. 8Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid SmartGRID – The new buzzword We hear everyone talking about it….. Most of us agree that this makes a lot of sense…. And we’re all attending a lot of conferences like this one today to learn more about it and how this will help your utility and your customers…. But…….

9. 9Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid But isn’t the grid already SMART ?

10. 10Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid But isn’t the grid already SMART ?

11. 11Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid But isn’t the grid already SMART ? Utilities have SCADA systems….

12. 12Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid But isn’t the grid already SMART ? Utilities have SCADA systems…. Utilities maintain network frequency, capacity, voltage, reliability, etc

13. 13Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid But isn’t the grid already SMART ? Utilities have SCADA systems…. Utilities maintain network frequency, capacity, voltage, reliability, etc Utilities utilize intelligent RTUs and IEDs

14. 14Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid But isn’t the grid already SMART ? Utilities have SCADA systems…. Utilities maintain network frequency, capacity, voltage, reliability, etc Utilities utilize intelligent RTUs and IEDs Utilities have smarter switches that collect analog data, collect statistics, etc

15. 15Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid But isn’t the grid already SMART ? Utilities have SCADA systems…. Utilities maintain network frequency, capacity, voltage, reliability, etc Utilities utilize intelligent RTUs and IEDs Utilities have smarter switches that collect analog data, collect statistics, etc Utilities have fault recorders, relays, etc

16. 16Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid But isn’t the grid already SMART ? Utilities have SCADA systems…. Utilities maintain network frequency, capacity, voltage, reliability, etc Utilities utilize intelligent RTUs and IEDs Utilities have smarter switches that collect analog data, collect statistics, etc Utilities have fault recorders, relays, etc Utilities have AMR and AMI

17. 17Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid But isn’t the grid already SMART ? Utilities have SCADA systems…. Utilities maintain network frequency, capacity, voltage, reliability, etc Utilities utilize intelligent RTUs and IEDs Utilities have smarter switches that collect analog data, collect statistics, etc Utilities have fault recorders, relays, etc Utilities have AMR and AMI Utilities have all kinds of SMART “stuff”

18. 18Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid So what are we really talking about when we talk about a SmartGrid?

19. 19Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid We’re really talking about making the grid “SMARTER” !

20. 20Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Making the grid “SMARTER” ! How ?

21. 21Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Making the grid “SMARTER” ! How ? By using the technology and data we already have in “SMARTER” ways…

22. 22Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Making the grid “SMARTER” ! How ? By using the technology and data we already have in “SMARTER” ways… By making SMART decisions about new technologies to make it “SMARTER”

23. 23Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid So what makes a grid SMARTER ?

24. 24Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid So what makes a grid SMARTER ? Improved Communications To be smarter you have to know more about what’s going on and you need to know it faster. More information faster…..

25. 25Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid So what makes a grid SMARTER ? Improved Communications To be smarter you have to know more about what’s going on and you need to know it faster. More information faster….. Improved Interoperability To be smarter, you have to use the information more effectively between your systems and your organization.

26. 26Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Communications

27. 27Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Communications Utilities need to be able to communicate and collect more information from more devices faster.

28. 28Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Communications Utilities need to be able to communicate and collect more information from more devices faster. Utilities need to consider a hybrid communications approach leveraging multiple technologies to fully cover the data collection needs to have a SMARTER grid….. Power Line Carrier (ex. rural AMI) Mesh (ex. urban AMI) Line of Sight (ex. rural-urban AMI, Substation to Substation, etc) Wireless public networks 3G, 4G(ex. rural-urban AMI, IEDs, RTUs, substation to substation, etc) Public Switch Network, dialup, leased circuits (IED’s, RTU’s, Load Recorders, etc)

29. 29Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Communications Utilities need to communicate more effectively with their meter devices Metrum, SmartSynch are examples of public wireless AMI technologies that can collect more data, faster than most other AMI technologies.

30. 30Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Communications Utilities need to communicate more effectively with their meter devices Metrum, SmartSynch are examples of public wireless AMI technologies that can collect more data, faster than most other AMI technologies. Aclara, Yukon, Turtle are PLC based AMI technologies that are more cost effective in rural settings.

31. 31Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Communications Utilities need to communicate more effectively with their meter devices Metrum, SmartSynch are examples of public wireless AMI technologies that can collect more data, faster than most other AMI technologies. Aclara, Yukon, Turtle are PLC based AMI technologies that are more cost effective in rural settings. Elster, Eka, Sensus, Tantalus and several others are Mesh based AMI technologies that are more cost effective in urban settings.

32. 32Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Improving Systems Interoperability

33. 33Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Improving Systems Interoperability Utilities need to use information more effectively

34. 34Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Improving Systems Interoperability Utilities need to use information more effectively Utilities need improved data integration, data management and operational reporting.

35. 35Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid So what are we talking about when we refer to “Interoperability” ?

36. 36Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid So what are we talking about when we refer to “Interoperability” ? Interoperability is a property referring to the ability of diverse systems and organizations to work together (inter-operate).

37. 37Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid So what are we talking about when we refer to “Interoperability” ? Interoperability is a property referring to the ability of diverse systems and organizations to work together (inter-operate). So we’re really talking about integration of the data and the organization so they can inter-operate more effectively to operate SMARTER, more efficiently and more effectively.

38. 38Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Utilities need to address a number of challenges to achieve interoperability

39. 39Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Utilities need to address a number of challenges to achieve interoperability Improved Integration of existing systems.

40. 40Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Utilities need to address a number of challenges to achieve interoperability Improved Integration of existing systems. Address the need for Centralized Data Management

41. 41Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Utilities need to address a number of challenges to achieve interoperability Improved Integration between existing systems. Address the need for Centralized Data Management for operational reporting and systems analysis. Recognize the need for Organizational improvements

42. 42Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Moving forward with a “SMARTER” grid.

43. 43Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Moving forward with a “SMARTER” grid. To create a “SMARTER” grid:

44. 44Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Moving forward with a “SMARTER” grid. To create a “SMARTER” grid Utilities should consider the value to both the utility and the customer. Is it really worth it ?

45. 45Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Moving forward with a “SMARTER” grid. To create a “SMARTER” grid Utilities should consider the value to both the utility and the customer. Is it really worth it ? Agree on the need to take action based on the overall value proposition,

46. 46Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Moving forward with a “SMARTER” grid. To create a “SMARTER” grid Utilities should consider the value to both the utility and the customer. Is it really worth it ? Agree on the need to take action, Plan effectively and

47. 47Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Moving forward with a “SMARTER” grid. To create a “SMARTER” grid Utilities should consider the value to both the utility and the customer. Is it really worth it ? Agree on the need to take action, Plan effectively and Be deliberate about moving forward.

48. 48Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Suggestions……..

49. 49Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Suggestions…….. Don’t underestimate the value of formal project planning and project management

50. 50Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Suggestions…….. Don’t underestimate the value of formal project planning and project management Invest in a Technology Plan and Technology Roadmap

51. 51Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Suggestions…….. Don’t underestimate the value of formal project planning and project management Invest in a Technology Plan and Technology Roadmap Leverage external services to assist internal staff with projects

52. 52Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Suggestions…….. Don’t underestimate the value of formal project planning and project management Invest in a Technology Plan and Technology Roadmap Leverage external services to assist internal staff with projects Get everyone involved, this is a utility wide effort

53. 53Copyright © ElectSolve 2010. All Rights Reserved. v5.14 SmartGrid Suggestions…….. Don’t underestimate the value of formal project planning and project management Invest in a Technology Plan and Technology Roadmap Leverage external services to assist internal staff with projects Get everyone involved, this is a utility wide effort And last but not least, get your customers involved, this is all about them…

54. Smart Grid Communications/Interoperability Issues Conclusion……..