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Distribution GIS and Grid Model Data Management
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Department of Energy Grid Modernization Lab Consortium
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Telecommunications
Telecommunication is essential to utilities and has an increasingly critical role in the operation of the integrated grid. The growing need to support higher penetration of distributed energy resources (DER), and greater reliance on sensors to provide situational awareness, are essential roles for telecom in grid modernization. No single technology can meet all the widely varying requirements, resulting in complex and heterogeneous telecom networks that are challenging to manage.
The project set addresses challenges that utilities face with respect to telecommunications:
- Planning a scalable, multi-service network that meets current and future needs
- Leveraging technologies and best practices from commercial telecom operators (both wireline and wireless)
- Resolve barriers to complete the transition of the WAN to packet technologies
- Evaluating new business models and partnerships to make fiber deployment in more locations economically viable
- Enabling wider use of wireless networks by identifying suitable licensed, wireless spectrum
- Identifying the optimal wireless technologies for field area networks (FAN)
- Stewarding the standards to enable interoperability and interchangeability;
- Identifying the best roles for commercial wireless and shared networks, and navigating the transition to 5G networks
- Developing approaches to maximize performance of wireless technologies in unlicensed spectrum, and developing strategies for alternatives when unlicensed bands are no longer able to support desired utility applications
- Developing best-in-class telecom network management, visualization, and control systems that take advantage of advances such as Software-defined Networking (SDN) and Network Functions Virtualization (NFV), while maintaining reliability, resilience, and cyber security.
Project Set Lead: Tim Godfrey; 650.855.8584; tgodfrey@epri.com
Read more at the current portfolio.
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Field Demonstration of CEA-2045 Standard Modular Interface for Demand Response
This project is a field evaluation of the CEA-2045 standard, which was released in December 2012. Products that support the CEA-2045 interface have not yet been deployed in field environments or operated in active DR programs. As a result, there are many uncertainties, and supposed capabilities that need evaluation.