Verification, integration and testing of PLC

DLC+VIT4IP: technologies and IP communication for utilities

Modern utility communication demands a platform that can provide the flexibility for multi-application communication for smart grid protocols. Such a platform not only offers the necessary interoperability to select equipment for networking and applications implementation but also supports tomorrow’s smart grid applications like management of distributed generation, or other utility applications such as video surveillance and facility access control.

Within the European project DLC+VIT4IP, the Internet Protocol (IP) is used in combination with narrow-band PLC to meet these criteria. The goal is to optimize power utility communication and offer flexibility and lean communication down to the field level of a utility grid. The emphasis is on information security – a focus issue for the Electric Power Utilities (EPUs) over the last ten years. As providers of vital products and services, EPUs need to develop new security systems and procedures that reflect the improvements in (ICT) and also recognize the development of malicious and other types of threats.

 Project
DLC+VIT4IP is using the Internet Protocol to develop and verify a high-speed, narrow-band PLC infrastructure, which is capable of supporting existing applications and extending new, multiple communication applications. On the application side, the IP is increasingly used in many supervisory and control application fields, including the energy sector. The approach is used for the existing power distribution network and for novel services in smart electricity distribution networks (e.g., demand-side management, control of distributed generation and customer integration). The solution developed by the project will be verified in test fields. The project is expected to yield a prototype for a high-performance communications infrastructure, simulation and planning tools, and testing and conformance rules to enable application developers and users to choose appropriate technologies for their needs. Many of these products will be used for standardization.

Project coordinator
> KEMA, the Netherlands

Project partners
> Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austria
> Devolo AG, Germany
> Israel Electric Corporation, Ltd., Israel
> HW Communications Ltd, United Kingdom
> iAd Gesellschaft für Informatik, Automatisierung und Datenverarbeitung, Germany
> Lancaster University, United Kingdom
> Technische Universitaet Dresden, Germany
> Consortio per la Ricerca nell’Automatica e nelle Telecommunicationi (UoR), Italy
> Yitran Communication LTD, Israel 
> Vlaaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek, Belgium
> Vattenfall Europe Netzservice GmbH, Germany

Project details
> Seventh Framework Program
> Duration: January 2010 - December 2012