Transmission & distribution | Digital innovation at the edge…
Siemens Energy has extended its switchgear and transformer portfolio with Edgegear and Edgeformer, which it describes as “the world’s first high voltage systems with integrated edge computing technology”, enabling grid operators to react faster to changes in the system, with “seamless integration of the systems into the existing customer network”, which is “local, secure and simple” and is also highly cyber-secure. Edge computing essentially means that data processing is decentralised and carried out within the individual assets – in this case switchgear and transformers – without the need for previous data transfer to the cloud. The digitalisation of power transmission assets in the substation plays an important role in managing the increased feed-in renewables and the exponential increase in complexity, says Siemens Energy. While most digital technologies for substation assets rely solely on equipment with cloud connectivity,
Edge Layer
edge-enabled transmission products, such as Edgegear and Edgeformer, keep connections directly within the substation. But it is not necessary to forego the benefits of cloud-based solutions, says Siemens Energy, because both its “edge-enabled transformers and switchgear will come with app-based data analytics and asset management.”
Localised edge computing enables faster data processing capabilities, resulting in
quicker decision making, with data storage and processing done on-site.
With edge computing the data is kept offline, in the substation, but without compromising “seamless, secure and easy integration into the existing customer IT-landscape”’ says Siemens Energy.
Customer Network Customer cloud SCADA/local server Remote manager
According to Beatrix Natter, executive vice president, transmission, at Siemens Energy, said: “With Edgeformer and Edgegear every transmission system operator will have access to value added applications, enabling them to respond faster to changes in the system and increase asset transparency, productivity, and reliability.”
Central edge hub Local data storage and apps Edge IoT Edge runtime Product Level High-voltage products equipped with physical sensors
Edgegear, for example, provides operators with real- time partial discharge analyses (which requires very rapid data processing that would be difficult to achieve in the cloud) as well as gas and oil leakage prediction supported by artificial intelligence and machine learning.
…and in the cloud
At the same time, Siemens Energy is further developing cloud based offerings for transmission systems with the launch of SensSolution, which it describes as “the world’s first power transmission solution with holistic cloud connectivity and designated web application suite.”
It “enables the secure transmission of substation data to the cloud”, allowing “valuable real-time analyses and monitoring, supporting system operation and availability as a result”, says Siemens Energy.
The company says it will “deploy SensSolution to its complete transmission solutions portfolio”, starting with HVDC.
“Today’s transmission grid operators face an abundance of challenges including the increasing share of renewables in the grid and their hard-to-predict feed-ins. Digitalisation offers many opportunities to meet these challenges through the intelligent use of data available in substations”, the company says and “SensSolution is the next logical step in our journey to fully unlock the potential of digitalisation in energy transmission.”
SensSolution “processes all available data from substations to a cloud-based platform where the operators can access
different applications and dashboards to gain insights on a system’s actual status”, Siemens says, and “this enables operators to plan ahead and make the right decisions to ensure optimised operation, handle imminent failures, schedule maintenance work or plan long-term investments.”
Operators can directly access the customised results via the internet on the SensSolution portal, location independent, and receive alarms in case of critical events.
Knowing the exact status of all power transmission assets in the system will enable the operators to increase the overall availability and reliability of their systems, Siemens Energy believes.
Based on a modular users’ rights role concept, the operator can decide to share substation
Power transmission solutions with holistic cloud connectivity Siemens Energy’s SensSolution®
increases system reliability
Siemens Energy
data with different operations, maintenance and planning teams, and Siemens Energy. Specific visualisations and reports can be “created by a mouse click”, thus enabling “a new level of seamless support and co-operation to handle acute problems and maintenance tasks.” Cybersecurity is a critical factor in the success of digitalisation, Siemens Energy notes, and therefore end-to-end encryption is used when transmitting the operational data via a highly secure gateway from a site to the cloud. A key cybersecurity feature is one-way connectivity, which “makes sure that data can only flow in one direction and never exposes the HVDC control system to the outside.” Due to guaranteed, complete physical isolation, intrusion into the substation from the internet is “simply not possible”, says Siemens Energy.
As the first stage in deploying the new technology, Siemens Energy will, from now on, equip all new HVDC systems with SensSolution.
SensSolution will enable operators to use “all
Customer
Secure transmission of substation data to the cloud
real-time analysis Storage and
24/7 accessible customised results for full transparency
Optimised remote support
operational data existing within the control and protection system of the substation, the power electronic converters and the connected subsystems for analysis and reporting”, the company says.
18 | May 2021 |
www.modernpowersystems.com
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