06033032.pdf

s concerns about climate change, rising fossil fuelprices, and energy security increase, there is grow-ing interest around the world in renewable energyresources. Since most renewable energy sources

are intermittent in nature, it is a challenging task to integratea significant portion of renewable energy resources into thepower grid infrastructure. Traditional electricity grid wasdesigned to transmit and distribute electricity generated bylarge conventional power plants. The electricity flow mainlytakes place in one direction from the centralized plants toconsumers. In contrast to large power plants, renewable ener-gy plants have less capacity, and are installed in a more dis-tributed manner at different locations. The integration ofdistributed renewable energy generators has great impacts onthe operation of the grid and calls for new grid infrastructure.Indeed, it is a main driver to develop the smart grid for infras-tructure modernization [1], which monitors, protects, andoptimizes the operation of its interconnected elements fromend to end with a two-way flow of electricity and informationto create an automated and distributed energy delivery net-work.

Communication systems are crucial technologies for gridintegration of renewable energy resources. Two-way commu-nications are the fundamental infrastructure that enables theaccommodation of distributed energy generation and assists inthe reconfiguration of network topology for more efficientpower flow. Many types of equipment in the grid (meters, sen-sors, voltage detectors, etc.) should be monitored and con-trolled, which will enable important decision support systemsand applications, such as supervisory control and data acquisi-tion (SCADA), energy management system (EMS), protective

relaying for high voltage lines, mobile fleet voice and data dis-patch, distribution feeder automation, generating plantautomation, and physical security. These applications are vitalin monitoring, operating, and protecting both renewable ener-gy generators and power systems.

There are several communication options available for thegrid integration of renewable energy resources. Theseoptions include a hybrid mix of technologies, such as fiberoptics, copper-wire line, power line communications, and avariety of wireless technologies. There is currently on-goingdebate surrounding what will emerge as the communicationsstandard of choice. Since utilities want to run as many appli-cations as possible over their networks, issues of bandwidth,latency, reliability, security, scalability and cost will continueto dominate the conversation. In addition, distinct character-istics in the electric grid pose new challenges to the commu-nication systems for grid integration of renewable energyresources.

In this article, we review some communication technologiesavailable for grid integration of renewable energy resources.Then we introduce a real renewable energy project, BearMountain Wind farm (BMW) in British Columbia, Canada,with 34 ENERCON wind turbine generators and a generationcapacity of 102 MW. Particularly, we present the communica-tion systems used in BMW. In addition, we describe the com-munication systems used in photovoltaic power systems(PPSs). For both wind and PPSs, we outline some researchchallenges and possible solutions about the communicationsystems for grid integration of these renewable energyresources.

The rest of this article is organized as follows. We describe

IEEE Network • September/October 201122 0890-8044/11/$25.00 © 2011 IEEE

AA

F. Richard Yu, Carleton UniversityPeng Zhang, University of Connecticut

Weidong Xiao, Masdar Institute of Science and TechnologyPaul Choudhury, BC Hydro

AbstractThere is growing interest in renewable energy around the world. Since most renew-able sources are intermittent in nature, it is a challenging task to integrate renew-able energy resources into the power grid infrastructure. In this grid integration,communication systems are crucial technologies, which enable the accommodationof distributed renewable energy generation and play an extremely important rolein monitoring, operating, and protecting both renewable energy generators andpower systems. In this article, we review some communication technologies avail-able for grid integration of renewable energy resources. Then we present the com-munication systems used in a real renewable energy project, Bear Mountain WindFarm in British Columbia, Canada. In addition, we present the communication sys-tems used in photovoltaic power systems. Finally, we outline some research chal-lenges and possible solutions about the communication systems for grid integrationof renewable energy resources.

Communication Systems for GridIntegration of Renewable Energy Resources

YU LAYOUT 9/12/11 12:40 PM Page 22

IEEE Network • September/October 2011 23

an overview of communication systems for grid integration ofrenewable energy resources. We present the communicationsystems and some research challenges for grid integration ofwind farms. We present the communication systems and someresearch challenges for grid integration of photovoltaic powersystems. Finally, we conclude the article.

Overview of Communication Systems forGrid Integration of Renewable EnergyResourcesA typical electric grid communication system consists of ahigh-bandwidth backbone and lower-bandwidth access net-works, connecting individual facilities to the backbone. Fiberoptics and/or digital microwave radio are usually the technolo-gies for the backbone, whereas the access may use alternativessuch as copper twisted-pair wire lines, power line communica-tions, and wireless systems. In this section, we introduce somecommunication technologies and related standards that areparticularly interesting for grid integration of renewable ener-gy resources.

Power Line CommunicationsPower line communications (PLCs) are to use existing electri-cal wires to transport data. Recently, new PLC technologiesare available that allow high bit rates of up to 200 Mb/s. PLCcan be used in several important applications: broadbandInternet access, indoor wired local area networks, utilitymetering and control, real-time pricing, distributed energygeneration, and so on [2].

From a standardization point of view, competing organiza-tions have developed specifications, including HomePlug Pow-erline Alliance, Universal Powerline Association andHD-PLC. ITU-T adopted Recommendation G.hn/G.9960 as astandard for high-speed power line communications. In IEEE,P1901 is a working group developing PLC medium accesscontrol and physical layer specifications. National Institute ofStandards and Technology (NIST) has included HomePlug,ITU-T G.hn and IEEE 1901 as “Additional Standards Identi-fied by NIST Subject to Further Review” for the smart grid inthe USA [1].

The primary advantage of PLC arises from the fact that itallows communication signals to travel on the same wires thatcarry electricity. However, since power line cables are oftenunshielded and thus become both a source and a victim ofelectromagnetic interference (EMI). Another issue is theprice. A PLC module is usually more expensive than a wire-less module, such as ZigBee, which will be introduced in thenext subsection. In addition, wireless is also more practical insome applications, such as water/gas meters powered by bat-teries without power lines.

Wireless Home (Local) Area NetworksA leading standard for the wireless home network communi-cations is ZigBee. The Zigbee Smart Energy standard buildson top of the ZigBee Home Automation Network (HAN)standard. HAN provides a framework to automatically controllighting, appliances, and other devices at home. ZigBee SmartEnergy provides a framework to connect HAN devices withsmart meters and other such devices. This will enable theenergy utility to directly communicate with the end consumersof energy.

Wi-Fi is often used as a synonym for IEEE 802.11 wirelesslocal area network (WLAN) technologies. Recently, Wi-Fibecame a standard for laptops and subsequently phones due

to its high data rate. When using it in utilities, however, Wi-Fi’s power consumption is an issue that needs to be consid-ered carefully.

The ZigBee Alliance and Wi-Fi Alliance also consider col-laborating on applications for energy management and net-working. The initial goal will be to get Smart Energy 2.0, astandard promoted by ZigBee, to work on Wi-Fi.

Wireless Wide Area NetworksPublic cell phone carriers have great interest in using wire-less wide area networks to connect household smart metersdirectly with the utility’s systems. A major advantage of thisapproach is the reduction of the costs (by not having to builda new network and by leveraging the expertise of the tele-com world). However, since public wireless cellular networksare not specialized in the machine-to-machine area, somerequirements in utilities may not be met by cellular net-works. Others argue that if the public wireless giants want toget into this business, they will do whatever it takes to meetthe requirements to win these large-scale multi-year utilitycontracts.

WiMAX is based on the IEEE 802.16 standard, enablingthe delivery of wireless broadband communications. Unlikethe now popular wireless networking technologies using unli-censed spectrum (e.g., those used by Silver Spring and Tril-liant), WiMAX uses licensed wireless spectrum, which isarguably both more secure and reliable. The primary disad-vantage of using a licensed network is that it is more expen-sive. In addition, compared to cellular technologies, WiMAXhas yet to be deployed at scale, which means some risks whenapplied to utilities.

Interoperability of Different Communication SystemsWithout a framework of interoperable standards for commu-nications, it would be very difficult to integrate renewableenergies into the grid. Since the potential standards landscapeis very large and complex, interoperable standards adoption ischallenging. Many utilities and regulatory groups are collec-tively trying to address interoperability issues through work-groups such as the GridWise Architecture Council and OpenSmart Grid (Subcommittee of the Utility CommunicationsArchitecture International Users Group) as well as throughpolicy action from NIST. In June 2009, NIST announced aninteroperability project via IEEE P2030, which seeks to defineinteroperability of energy technology and information technol-ogy operations with electric power systems and end-userapplications and loads [3].

Communication Systems for Grid Integrationof Wind FarmsWind energy has become an increasingly significant portion ofthe generation mix. Large-scale wind farms are normally inte-grated into power transmission networks so that the generatedelectric power can be delivered to load centers in remote loca-tions. Small-scale wind farms can be integrated into power dis-tribution networks to meet local demands. Because of highvariability and intermittency, wind farm operations become agreat challenge to power systems [4].

Communication systems are fundamental infrastructurethat transmits measured information and control signalsbetween wind farms and power systems. Well designed com-munication systems can better explore the wind potentials andfacilitate farm controls, helping shaving peak load and provid-ing voltage support for power systems. Any deficiency in com-munication systems could compromise the system observability


IEEE Network • September/October 201124

and controllability, which would negatively impact systemsecurity, reliability, and safety.

In this section, we present the communication systems usedin a real renewable energy project, BMW in British Columbia,Canada.

Introduction to Bear Mountain Wind FarmLocated in the Peace River area of northern interior BritishColumbia, Canada, BMW consists of 34 ENERCON windturbine generators with a generation capacity of 102 MW. Itis the first large-scale wind farm that has been integratedinto British Columbia’s transmission network [5]. In com-mercial operation since December 2009, BMW is a typicalproject in the sense that it integrates large-scale windresources into bulk power systems by adopting up-to-datetechnologies. The reliable and flexible operation of BMW,including active power coordination, reactive power control,wind farm protection, and system protection, has been sup-ported by the communication infrastructure specificallydesigned for this project.

Figure 1 shows a high-level scheme of grid integration ofBMW to the bulk power system, where information flow andenergy flow among BMW, transmission system, distributionsystem, and generation system are summarized in an illustra-tive way. It can be seen that a modern power system is com-posed of high-power equipment and communication networks.Energy flows through the power grid to meet customerdemand, while information flows through the communicationsystem to monitor the system status, control the dynamicenergy flows present in the grid, and transfer the informationcollected from an internet of smart devices for sensing andcontrol across the power grid.

Communication Systems for BMW SupervisoryControl and Data AcquisitionInside BMW, the wind farm SCADA system is used for dataacquisition, remote monitoring, and open-loop and closed-loop control for both individual wind turbines and thewhole farm. BMW SCADA also provides a platform for thecustomer, the manufacturer (ENERCON), and the utility(BC Hydro) to access the operating state and analyze sam-pled event data. Moreover, authorized users can use theSCADA to modify parameters of wind energy converter(WEC) controllers, voltage control system (VCS), and soon. This feature is of special importance because wind farmcontrollers need to be tuned to achieve optimized perfor-mance under varying power system conditions. The closed-loop control to regulate the voltage at point ofinterconnection (POI) is another desired SCADA feature,which coordinates wind turbine outputs and provides reac-tive power support for the utility system. Figure 2 shows ahigh-level design of the wind farm SCADA communicationsystem and interface with external communication systems,briefly explained as follows:• SCADA REMOTE: Used for remote monitoring of wind

farm data. Authorized users may access the SCADAdatabase and modify controller parameters.

• Process data interface (PDI): Used for exchanging real-timewind farm data with external communication systems.

• Grid data acquisition (GDA): Used to measure electricalvariables at the point of interconnection.

• Substation control unit (SCU): Used for monitoring electri-cal states and for remote switching operation within thesubstation of wind farm.

Figure 1. Grid integration of a wind farm. (Photo courtesy of BC Hydro).

Legend Information flowEnergy flow

Process datainterface

Point ofinterconnection

substation

Wind farm

Generation system

Transmissionsystem

Control center

Wind farmSCADA

Grid dataacquisition

Distribution system andcustomer loads



• VCS: Used for controlling the dynamic voltage at the pointof interconnection by utilizing reactive power capability ofwind turbines online.

• METEO: Used for collecting meteorological data such aswind speed, wind direction, and temperature.The status data and measured data are transmitted by

SCADA using standard formats such as OPC XML-DA orIEC 60870-5-101(or 104). BMW SCADA cyclically queries theoperating and status data from wind turbines via the data bus.The SCADA calculates the average values over 10-minute,day, week, month, and year periods, together with minimumand maximum values. Status data is updated up to four timesper second. The internal data bus system normally uses fiberoptical cables to guarantee the communication speed.

When the SCADA communication system is forced out ofservice or control signals to/from individual wind turbine/gen-erators are interrupted, each affected generator output willautomatically default to autonomous voltage control at 15 per-cent of its capacity and 1.0 power factor. It should be empha-sized here that the SCADA system response in the event ofcommunication breakdowns has to be determined case by case.

Communication System for Power System Protection& Control and Remedial Action SchemesThe grid integration of BMW involves the construction of anew 138 kV substation at the POI. The existing 138 kV line,1L362 between Chetwynd (CWD) and Dawson Creek (DAW),

has been looped in and out of the new station and has beensplit into two new lines: 1L358 and 1L362. At the CWD andDAW substations, the existing protection, control, and meter-ing devices for the old 1L362 line has been replaced with newprotection and control equipment. At CWD, a remote termi-nal unit (RTU) using a 2400 b/s continuous SCADA channelwill be installed. All protection information is transferredfrom SEL relays to the new RTU via a SEL 2032 communica-tion processor, and then sent to the utility control center fromthis RTU through power line carriers.

To facilitate the new protection devices and transfer con-trol/telemetry/alarm data, new PLC systems are installed atthe POI substation, CWD, DAW, and neighboring PeaceCanyon substation.

Another important protection system implemented forBMW is the Remedial Action Scheme (RAS) [6]. Generallyspeaking, the RAS is a specialized protection system thatreacts to predictable power system contingencies by usingpreplanned control actions. The purpose of the RAS is tomitigate unwanted consequences of the initiating conditionor disturbance. Unlike a traditional protection system thatonly protects a single unit of equipment from local faults,RAS can protect multiple equipment units located remotelyfrom the initiating condition, and can improve reliability ona whole system level. Nowadays, power system reliabilityhighly relies on the dependable performance of theRAS;and again, the RAS functionality largely depends on therobustness of the communication systems used. The commu-

Figure 2. A typical SCADA communication system in a wind farm.

Ethernet

Modbus/DNP3

EthernetAutodialer

Fiberopticcable

Fiberopticcable

Manufacturerservice

Local office forwind farm operator

Remote office

UtilitySCADA

telemetry

POIsubstation

PLC

ADSS fibercable

Power utilitycommunication

and control networkInternet Public phonesystemMPLS network

POIsubstation

Phone line

Phone line

Phone line

GDAFeeders

Wind farm

SCADAremote

SCADAworkstation

METEOVCSSCUGDAPDIRevenuemeters

Remedial actionscheme

(implemented inPOI substation

relays)

Substationcommunications

processor

Ethernet

Monitoringtower



nication system is designed to facilitate RAS implementa-tion as follows.

The communication channels provided for the RAS schemeconsist of single mode fiber optic pairs on the ADSS linebetween POI and BMW. SEL 2800 series media convertersare used for transmission of the Mirrored Bits informationbetween the SEL 421 relays. Another fiber pair on the sameADSS cable is utilized for the BMW SCADA channel usingthe SEL 2800 series media converters. The BMW SCADAchannel is crossconnected to the ETL 600 Power Line CarrierLink in the direction from CWD to GMS substation where itcross connects to the Alcatel 3600 DACS and microwaveradio in the direction of Williston, which provides aggregatefunction for all the northern utility SCADA channels. Theaggregated traffic is then directed to the utility control center.

BMW data together with protection information and linetelemetry data are transmitted to the system control centerthrough ADSS fiber cable and power line carrier. Every 4 s,the data will be updated. Figure 3 illustrates part of BMW’sinformation visualized in the Energy Management System inBC Hydro’s control center.

Research ChallengesStandardization of protocols: As we can see from the

above description, there are many different communicationdevices for different purposes in a wind farm. A uniform com-munication platform for monitoring, control, and operation ofwind farms is needed such that the communication barriersarising from many proprietary protocols used by differentmanufacturers could be reduced to a minimum level [7]. Scal-ability and interoperability among communication equipmentwill minimize the maintenance effort and improve communi-cation availability.

Implementation of synchronized phasor measurement: Anormally overlooked technology for wind farm applications isthe synchronous phasor measurement. Wind energy is highlyvariable and intermittent, which requires high-speed accuratepower system dynamic control to counteract sudden changesin wind output. Correct real-time control relies on accurateestimation of system states, which is impossible without syn-chronous phasor measurement units [8]. Developing a com-munication framework for synchrophasors and management

of the synchrophasor data will be one of the major challengesto be resolved.

Application of wireless technologies: So far the grid integra-tion of wind energy mainly utilizes wired communications suchas PLC, optical fiber, and copper wires. Using wireless commu-nications for distributed monitoring, authorization, and controlmay significantly improve wind generation reliability and effi-ciency, and reduce the life cycle cost of wind power projects.

Make use of full capabilities of wind farm SCADA andwind turbine reactive capability: Many advanced applicationsin wind farm SCADA (e.g., VCSs) are often unexplored byutilities because of communication barriers. Developingrobust two-way communications can activate these usefulfunctions so that wind energy efficiency, control speed, andsupport to the grid can be greatly improved.

Enhance communication systems reliability: Communica-tion systems failure can result in limited operation of windfarms. The wind farm output may have to be reduced in orderto guarantee power system reliability and safety. Therefore,high reliability of communication systems can increase thewind energy yield, which is beneficial for not only wind farmowners, but also utilities and customers.

Islanding detection and operation through communicationsystems: An electrical island forms when a portion of thepower system becomes electrically isolated from the rest ofthe system, while it continues to be energized by wind farmsor other distributed generators. An energized island maycause severe safety hazards and must be effectively detectedbefore some control measures can be taken to fix the prob-lem. The traditional method for islanding detection is to mon-itor the frequency and/or voltage drifts, which may notfunction properly or fast enough. Using wireless communica-tions or PLC could be a fast and accurate means for islanddetection and control.

Communication Systems For Grid Integrationof Photovoltaic Power SystemsIntroduction to Photovoltaic Power SystemsThe first application of photovoltaic power was as a powersource for space satellites. Today, the majority of photovoltaic

Figure 3. One page of wind farm information on utility company SCADA display (data masked).



modules are used for utility-interactive power generation.Grid-connected solar systems are typically classified in threecategories: residential, commercial, and utility scales. Residen-tial scale is the smallest type of installation and refers to allinstallations less than 10 kW, usually found on private proper-ties. The commercial capacity ranges from 10 to 100 kW, andare commonly found on the roofs of commercial buildings.Utility scale is designed for installations above 100 kW, whichare traditionally ground-based installations on fields (alsoknown as solar farms or plants).

Communication Systems for PPS Supervisory Controland Data AcquisitionData acquisition was originally found in the utility scale solarpower systems for monitoring connection status, real andreactive power output, and voltage at the interconnectionpoint. With the spread of the Internet, web-based tools havebeen developed to give photovoltaic system owners access tothe current and historical data of their systems. Since then,the communication system becomes cost-effective and applica-ble to small-scale power systems. As shown in Fig. 4, the mon-itoring interface gets electrical generation data from theinverters and transmits it to the server via the Internet. Somesystems also provide sensors to collect data of ambient tem-peratures, solar irradiance, total generation, and usage datafrom the electrical panel. RS-485 is widely used as the proto-col between the inverters and the data logger. Ethernet andInternet are typically the media for local and remote monitor-ing. An RS232 or USB interface is handy for the on-site

debug, configuration, or monitoring forone-inverter systems.

These systems normally monitor thefollowing variables: the solar array powerproduction, inverter output, inverter sta-tus, AC grid conditions, weather stationdata, temperature of key components,solar irradiance, and so on. The ownersor operators can follow the real-timedetails of system operation. Some moni-toring data are metering-quality and usedfor feed-in tariff.

Communication Systems for PPSAdvanced Applications: FaultDiagnosisA photovoltaic cell is a device that con-verts light energy into electrical energy.Photovoltaic cells are often encapsulatedas a module. Most solar power installa-tions are made up of several strings, eachof which includes two or more photo-voltaic modules. Strings are then inter-connected to create an array with thedesired current or power.

It is shown in [9] that non-optimalconditions, such as minor shading, cancause a major reduction in solar poweroutput of the photovoltaic array. Non-optimal conditions are sometimesunavoidable and complicated as they arecaused by many different conditions: par-tial shading, soiling, dust collection, celldamage, cell aging, and so on. As a result,it is very difficult to detect a non-optimalcondition by reading the power output or

sensing the output terminal of a photovoltaic array. A recentdevelopment is to integrate communication systems into thephotovoltaic panel, sense the voltage, current, and tempera-ture of each module, and send the information data to themonitoring interface. The solar power monitoring can be clas-sified as three categories: system-level, string-level, and mod-ule-level. Figure 5 shows the three-level monitoring based onwireless communication systems. The system will monitor thestatus of solar modules, solar strings, and solar inverters basedon the IEEE 802.15.4-2003 ZigBee standard. Either star ormesh topology can be used.

With this wireless monitoring capability, each solar modulestatus is visible. In practical systems, this is very usefulbecause most solar panels are installed in areas that are notreadily accessible. Otherwise, the troubleshooting of solarmodules is very difficult.

Research ChallengesPower consumption of the end device: A major challenge of

photovoltaic power systems is to reduce the power dissipationlosses. Power losses may be caused by non-optimal opera-tional conditions or communication systems (e.g., wirelesstransmission and receiving). Developing an energy-efficientcommunication network for solar power integration will sig-nificantly reduce the life cycle cost of solar projects.

Reliability, coverage, and flexibility: A reliable communica-tion system is the foundation for effective photovoltaic con-trol. Although wireless communications provide greatflexibility to photovoltaic power systems control, the commu-nication may be unreliable due to interference, shadowing,

Figure 4. A typical monitoring application of grid-tied photovoltaic power systems.

On-site diagnosis + viewingRemote monitoringand presentation

Webserver

Solarinverters

RS48

5

RS48

5

RS485

RS23

2/U

SB

Webmonitoring

Site monitoring

Webmonitoring

Internet

Data logger

Router/modem



fading, and so on. Moreover, the coverage of a wireless net-work changes dynamically in practice. These uncertainties inwireless communications can cause severe problems in photo-voltaic power systems. The trade-off among power consump-tion, reliability, coverage, throughput, latency, and so on meritfurther investigation for the wireless communications used inphotovoltaic power systems.

Addressing and localization: A solar power system consistsof many photovoltaic panels, which are vulnerable to failuresand have high maintenance demands. How to identify thefailed panel quickly is an interesting research topic. Similarproblems exist in wireless sensor networks, where a variety ofaddressing and localization algorithms have been designed.Adopting those addressing and localization algorithms for thecommunication systems used in photovoltaic power systemscould provide possible solutions.

Islanding detection: Photovoltaic power systems face thesame challenge of island detection as wind power systems do.Using wireless communications or PLC could be a fast andaccurate means for island detection and control in photovolta-ic power systems.

ConclusionsTwo-way communications are the fundamental infrastructurethat enables the accommodation of distributed renewableenergy generation. In this article, we review several communi-cation technologies available for the grid integration of renew-able energy resources. Since a hybrid mix of technologies willbe used in the future, interoperable standards are very impor-tant. We introduce the Bear Mountain Wind Farm project,particularly its communication systems for supervisory controland data acquisition, as well as power protection and control.

We also introduce the communication systems used in photo-voltaic power systems. Distinct characteristics in integration ofrenewable energy resources pose new challenges to the com-munication systems, which merit further research.

References[1] NIST, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NIST Framework and Roadmap for Smart

Grid Interoperability Standards, Release 1.0 (draft), Jan. 2010.[2] S. Galli and O. Logvinov, “Recent Developments in the Standardization of

Power Line Communications Within the IEEE,” IEEE Commun. Mag., vol. 46,no. 7, July 2008, pp. 64–71.

[3] IEEE, P2030 Draft Guide for Smart Grid Interoperability of Energy Technolo-gy and Information Technology Operation with the Electric Power System(EPS), and End-Use Applications and Loads, Dec. 2010.

[4] A. J. Sguarezi Filho, M. E. de Oliveira Filho, and E. Ruppert Filho, “A Pre-dictive Power Control for Wind Energy,” IEEE Trans. Sustainable Energy, vol.2, no. 1, Jan. 2011, pp. 97–105.

[5] P. Zhang, “Bear Mountain Wind Farm,” Proc. Int’l. Wksp. Wind EnergyDevelopment, Cairo, Egypt, Mar. 2010.

[6] P. Zhang, Bear Mountain Wind Limited Partnership Bear Mountain WindFarm Interconnection Impact Re-Study, Report No. SPA 2008-18M, BCTC,May 2009.

[7] P. M. Anderson and B. K. LeReverend, “Industry Experience with Special Pro-tection Schemes,” IEEE Trans. Power Systems, vol. 11, no. 3, Aug. 1996, pp.1166–79.

[8] IEC 61400-12-1, Wind turbines – Part 12-1: Power Performance Measure-ments of Electricity Producing Wind Turbines.

[9] W. Xiao, N. Ozog, and W. G. Dunford, “Topology Study of PhotovoltaicInterface for Maximum Power Point Tracking,” IEEE Trans. Industrial Electron-ics, vol. 54, no. 3, June 2007, pp. 1696–1704.

BiographiesF. RICHARD YU [S'00, M'04, SM'08] ([email protected]) received a Ph.D.degree in electrical engineering from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in2003. From 2002 to 2004, he was with Ericsson, Lund, Sweden, where heworked on the research and development of 3G cellular networks. From 2005 to2006, he was with a start-up in California, where he worked on the researchand development in the areas of advanced wireless communication technologiesand new standards. He joined Carleton School of Information Technology and

Figure 5. Three-level monitoring of photovoltaic power systems based on wireless communicationtechnologies.

Remote monitoringand presentation

Webserver

Solarinverters

Solararrays

Generationand

sensing

Webmonitoring

Datalogger

Site monitoring

LAN / WLAN

On-site diagnosis + viewing

Webmonitoring

Internet

Grid

DCcombiners

Rout

er/m

odem



the Department of Systems and Computer Engineering at Carleton University in2007, where he is currently an associate professor. He received the OntarioEarly Researcher Award in 2011, Excellent Contribution Award at IEEE/IFIPTrustCom 2010, the Leadership Opportunity Fund Award from Canada Founda-tion of Innovation in 2009 and best paper awards at IEEE/IFIP TrustCom 2009and International Conference on Networking 2005. His research interests includecross-layer design, security, and QoS provisioning in wireless networks. Heserves on the editorial boards of several journals, including IEEE CommunicationsSurveys & Tutorials, ACM/Springer Wireless Networks, EURASIP Journal onWireless Communications Networking, Ad Hoc & Sensor Wireless Networks,Wiley Journal on Security and Communication Networks, and International Jour-nal of Wireless Communications and Networking. He has served on the Techni-cal Program Committee (TPC) of numerous conferences, as the TPC Co-Chair ofIEEE VTC ’12S, GLOBECOM ’11, INFOCOM-GCN ’11, INFOCOM-CWCN’10, IEEE IWCMC ’09, VTC ’08F, and WiN-ITS ’07, as the Publication Chair ofICST QShine 2010, and the Co-Chair of ICUMT-CWCN ’09.

PENG ZHANG [M'07, SM'10] ([email protected]) received a Ph.D.degree from the University of British Columbia. He is an assistant profes-

sor of electrical engineering at the University of Connecticut, Storrs. Hewas a system planning engineer at BC Hydro and Power Authority, Van-couver, Canada. His research interests include renewable energy integra-tion, power system reliability, and wide area measurement and controlsystems. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in British Columbia,Canada.

WEIDONG XIAO [M' 07] ([email protected]) received M.Sc. and Ph.D.degrees from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. He isan assistant professor of electrical power engineering at Masdar Institute ofScience and Technology. Before his academic career, he worked with MSRInnovations Incorporation as an R&D engineering manager focusing on pro-jects related to integration, monitoring, evaluation, optimization, and designof photovoltaic power systems. His research area includes power electronics,photovoltaic power systems, digital control techniques, and industrial applica-tions.

PAUL CHOUDHURY [M] ([email protected]) is the manager of AssetRisk & Performance Management Department at the British Columbia Hydro.


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