Connected devices are transforming numerous industries, with the power utility sector being no exception. Power utility companies currently face four primary challenges arising from the expansion of IoT:
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Vendors are increasingly connecting machines, controllers, HMIs, and SCADA systems to the cloud, promising enhanced analytics and insights for predictive and preventative maintenance. However, strict quarantine policies for critical assets prevent power companies from fully utilizing these IoT features offered by machine and controller vendors.
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As the cost of solar and wind power microgrids continues to decline, utility companies face shrinking revenues from traditional power generation. To offset this loss, companies must aggressively pursue new revenue streams, such as Energy Management as a Service for homes, Energy Storage as a Service, grid services for EV charging, and grid services for peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading between homes, microgrids, and batteries. These initiatives require smart metering, smart grids, and secure transactions facilitated by Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) like IOTA. Additionally, utilities are exploring the provision of smart city services to municipal authorities.
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For critical infrastructure such as dams, ICOLD (International Committee on Large Dams) mandates real-time Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). This allows for early warning of potential collapses in dams, rocks, or tunnels, enabling the evacuation of people in affected areas.
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A new and emerging revenue source is EV charging in parking facilities. The course will explore how IoT can enable smart charging and smart parking solutions.
Over the past three years, IoT engineering has undergone massive changes, driven primarily by tech giants Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. These companies have invested billions in developing IoT platforms that are easier to manage and secure. Furthermore, IoT edge computing has gained significant momentum as a practical means of implementing IoT. The advent of 5G promises to further transform the IoT business landscape, leading to unprecedented investment in IoT research. Consequently, it is essential for practicing engineers to understand IoT platforms developed by major players like AWS, Google, and especially Microsoft.
However, none of these platforms offer a comprehensive, scalable solution out of the box. Deploying smart metering to millions of homes requires additional technologies for securing smart meters, radio networks, IoT management tools, and other secured services. The strategy, pricing, and security of any IoT deployment must be optimized and acceptable. Given the interdisciplinary knowledge required, it is challenging for any company to assemble a team capable of meeting all these requirements.
This course is a modest attempt to educate key decision-makers, developers, and security experts on the challenges, risks, and practical methods for deploying IoT in next-generation power utility businesses.
Additionally, scalable deployment has made managing IoT services for thousands of sensors and connections a distinct field of engineering research. This area, formally known as managed IoT services, is experiencing rapid growth because the challenges of scalable IoT are far greater than building it. These challenges include securing over-the-top firmware/software updates, managing sensor and system calibration, auto-diagnosing connection issues, identifying root causes of API failures, and tracking the hardware and service health of distributed systems.
Course Objectives
The main objective of the course is to introduce emerging technological options, platforms, and case studies of IoT implementation in power utility companies, including smart metering, smart cars, SHM (structural health monitoring), power quality diagnosis, and smart contracts. Participants will receive a basic introduction to all IoT elements, including mechanical aspects, electronics/sensor platforms, wireless and wireline protocols, mobile-to-electronics integration, mobile-to-enterprise integration, and data-analytics and control plane applications.
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IoT Technology Stacks: Devices, Gateways, Edge, Edge Cloud, Public Cloud, IoT databases, Web & Mobile Applications for IoT, Centralized vs. Decentralized IoT.
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IoT ecosystem for business, third-party device management, and risk management of the entire IoT ecosystem.
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M2M Wireless protocols for IoT: WiFi, SigFox, LoRa, LPWAN, Zigbee/Z-Wave, Bluetooth, ANT+: When and where to use each.
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Fundamentals of IoT Gateways: Risks, management, and ecosystem.
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Mobile/Desktop/Web apps for registration, data acquisition, and control. Available M2M data acquisition platforms for IoT: AWS IoT, Azure IoT, Google IoT.
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Security issues and solutions for IoT, including a review of security across all technology stacks.
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Enterprise IoT platforms such as Microsoft Azure IoT suites, AWS IoT, Google IoT, Siemens MindSphere.
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Smart Metering, Open Smart Grid Protocols (OSGP), ANSI C2.18 Protocols, NIST Standard for HAN (Home Area Network), HomePlug Powerline Alliance, Security Standard for Smart Meter: IEC 62056.
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Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) such as Blockchain, Hyperledger, and DAG (Directed Acyclic Graph) for smart contracts, P2P transactions, and smart car charging.
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IoT for critical infrastructure like dams, transformers, substations, and high-tension wires.
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