MICA (P) 085/01/2012 PPS 1627/11/2012 (022884)

June 2012

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EDITORIAL
CONTROL ENGINEERING ASIA

ISSN 2010-4219

Smart power
Bob Gill Editor-in-Chief

Group Publisher Wai-Chun Chen, (65) 6521 9770; waichun.chen@ tenalpsasia.com EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Bob Gill, (65) 6521 9763; bob.gill@tenalpsasia.com SALES & AD AMIN Sales Director Adeline Ann, (65) 6521 9762; adeline.ann@tenalpsasia.com Account Manager Caroline Yee, (65) 6521 9751; caroline.yee@tenalpsasia.com Marketing Executive Avery Li, (65) 6521 9758; avery.li@tenalpsasia.com Admin Executive Lim Yann Ming, (65) 6521 9748; yannming.lim@tenalpsasia.com PUBLISHING SUPPORT Production Manager Pauline Goh, pauline.goh@tenalpsasia.com Design Manager Honess Ho, honess.ho@tenalpsasia.com Graphic Designer Elsie Chin, elsie.chin@tenalpsasia.com Manager, Circulation & Database David Low, david.low@tenalpsasia.com Web Operations Executives Tiffany Mok, tiffany.mok@tenalpsasia.com Franco Sevilleja, franco@tenalpsasia.com Circulation Executives Levi Cheng, levi.cheng@tenalpsasia.com Wang Jiaoman, jiaoman.wang@tenalpsasia.com E-Business Manager Sam Soh, sam.soh@tenalpsasia.com Senior Web Developer Drake Lim, drake.lim@tenalpsasia.com FINANCE Finance Manager Lim Ai Ling, ailing.lim@tenalpsasia.com CEO Raymond Wong, raymond.wong@tenalpsasia.com

f you are like me then you probably pay only scant attention to your monthly electricity bill. Perhaps check that it is within expectations of what youve been paying recently and thats about it. In fact, if you think about it, the whole process of consuming utility power has remained pretty much the same for the past few decades. You use electrical appliances as and when needed, with probably only a vague idea of how much each switch-on is costing you. Whether you run your washing machine on a weekday morning or in the middle of the night, you are charged exactly the same rate. And that envelope with the monthly bill and the return payment is likely the only communication you have with your power provider. But that is all set to change with the arrival of the smart grid. This is the term that came into prominence around 2010 to denote the concept of a power system that makes extensive use of technology such as sensors, smart meters, control systems, networks, analytical software to deliver a level of intelligence and transform a generally one-way, passive consumption model to one that is two-way, dynamic and which can deliver benefits to both producers, distributors and consumers, as well as to the environment. In terms of an ecosystem, the smart grid can be fairly complex, extending all the way from the generation plant, to the distribution system, and down to the individual industrial or domestic user. Latterly, electric vehicles have even become intertwined with the smart grid, through the notion that they can be plugged in and feed back power to the grid when not in use. It is not surprising then that aside from the national power entities, the smart grid has attracted a variety of companies looking to contribute their two cents worth at various points in the value chain from the likes of ABB, IBM, SAP, Schneider Electric to more dedicated outfits like Digi, eMeter and Itron. And with an eye on growing demand for testing and certification services, TV SD recently launched its Smart Grid Competence Center to provide services such as conformance and interoperability testing to the IEC 61850 communications standard. Globally, there are already a large number of pilot project roll outs. In Singapore, the Intelligent Energy System (IES) pilot aims to evaluate applications around a smart grid. Phase 1, involving the development of an advanced metering infrastructure and wireless communications network, has already been completed. Phase 2, taking place this year and next, involves riding on the IES infrastructure to test different applications, including demand response and integration of energy management systems, for industrial and domestic consumers. In Australia, Western Power recently released program results which showed that consumer electricity bills dropped significantly after installing smart meters plus displays indicating real-time energy usage, along with offering variable time-of-use tariffs to encourage lower consumption during peak periods. Surely a taste of things to come as all things, including power, become smarter.

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Covering control, instrumentation, and automation systems

12

COVER STORY

The Smarter Way

The technology enabled next-generation electrical power system the smart grid promises a host of benefits for utilities and users. G Venkatesh reports.

p. 12

20

INSIDE INFORMATION

Personal to Industrial
With PC-based systems now commonplace in industrial control applications, Andreas Thome takes an affectionate look at the evolution of personal computer technology.

26
p. 20

SPECIAL REPORT

Making the Connection

The latest release of Teamcenter was in the spotlight at the Siemens PLM Connection Greater China User Conference 2012. Augustine Quek reports from Qingdao.

30

INSIDE PROCESS

Through the Tank

Hans Westerlind and Melissa Ruths explain how the latest technologies for tank gauging are reducing costs for improving terminal efficiency and safety. p. 26

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COVER STORY

TV SD has very high hopes for its smart grid business in Asia
Christian Dirmeier, product manager, smart grid, TV SD, tells CE Asia about the relevance and importance of the smart grid for the consulting, testing and certification company.
provide the corresponding standardization Q: What are the prospects for smart grids guidelines. in Asia, in the years to come? IEC 61850 is the most import ant A: Smart grids are the future of energy communication standard for smart grids. All supply. They are eco-friendly, efficient and utility-relevant businesses (in particular electricity extremely flexible. Instead of purchasing utilities, grid operators and consumers) should power residing with only a few centralized equip equipment and systems that can speak suppliers, consumers can now also feed IEC 61850. All supporting devices should also electricity into the public network from solar comply with this standard. power systems or cogeneration units. These Utilities keen on incorporating smart grid small power generation units are owned by technologies should comply with the latest power consumers and large-scale plants such relevant testing, inspection and certification as offshore wind farms and they increase the standards as they stand to gain various benefits, share of volatile energy sources. like more attractive feed-in conditions, reduced Headquartered in Munich, Germany, and redundant over-capacities, systems more functioning from branch offices in over 600 efficiently protected from technical damage, locations across the globe, TV SD is an more efficient use of storage systems, international service corporation focusing on prevention of load shedding, and an ability react consulting, testing, certification and training. quickly. We certainly have very high hopes for our Consumers will also garner benefits like smart grid business in Asia the fastest cheaper electricity supply, higher reliability, growing economy of the world currently. Christian Dirmeier, TV SD. improved load distribution, ability to manage Asia, further, is also the fastest growing ones own system, constant quality of electricity, and protection region, as far as TV SDs business volumes are concerned. of electrical facilities. With rapid growth in the national economies of the continent, the demand for electrical energy obviously will also keep increasing. Q: When we talk about projects, I guess it could even be smallAs a consequence, public and private power supply sectors will scale ones not encompassing the entire city? definitely seek ways to produce more affordable and reliable A: Yes, smart grid projects come in different sizes it can be a power. In my opinion, Asia has the highest potential, at the time of project to connect individual utilities to a smart grid (i.e. enable responding to this question, to establish the most advanced smart the utilities for smart grid readiness), or it can be a bigger project grid technologies from scratch. As of now, there are numerous to update urban smart grids, and finally, it can be about integrating pilot projects which have taken off in the region. smart grid technologies to national dimensions.

The new Smart Grid Laboratory in Munich where devices and components are tested for their conformity with the IEC 61850 communication standard.
Q: How is certification relevant for utilities keen on incorporating smart grid technologies? A: Smart grids aim to match energy supply and demand reliably, and all smart grids components need to be perfectly coordinated to ensure that the decentralized supra-regional electricity grid functions without fail. For this reason, a host of standards including IEC 61850, CIM (IEC 61970 and 61968), IEC 60870 or IEC 62351

Q: Could you comment on smart grids projects in Asia which TV has certified thus far? A: As of this moment, we are not able to share details on our projects in Asia. However, TV SD has been very active in working with smart grid customers in Germany and other parts of Europe; in fact TV SD has pooled its smart grid consulting and certification services in the TV SD Smart Grid Competence Center. The heart of the competence center is the new Smart Grid Laboratory in Munich where devices and components are tested for their conformity with the IEC 61850 communication standard and interoperability. We will provide the first certificates in August 2012 at the International Council on Large Electric Systems (CIGRE) in Paris. We are also developing the German Smart Grid Roadmap for the German government. For Asia, I would mention that the level and sophistication of smart grid technology acceptance in Asia are definitely among the top in the world. A good example is South Korea where Jeju Island and the Korean Smart Grid Institute have set up innovative smart grid test beds (high voltage and low voltage areas). And increasingly, households on the continent are being equipped with systems like smart refrigerators and smart washing systems.

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