SDPS-2013

Printed in the United States of America, October, 2013

2013 Society for Design and Process Science

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SMART GRID MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES AND THE

CHALLENGES OF THEIR IMPLEMENTATION

Jéssica Caroline da Silva Fuad Gattaz Sobrinho

Sistemas de Informação Faculdade Adventista de São Paulo

São Paulo, Hortolândia, Brasil

ABSTRACT

The Smart Grid has been a great challenge of change

in Brazil. For the choice of technologies to be applied it is

necessary to take into account the particularities of each

available technology and the power and

telecommunications grids in the country.

As we compare the WiMAX to other technologies,

can be added to the Smart Grid data to travel efficiently

over long distances in economic terms and not suffering

from the impact caused by the structural failure of the

Brazilian grid.

Among the advantages mentioned by the research on

WiMAX, the following stand out: the ease of

communication with other public service providers, the

greater robustness of its operations and technology

domain, plus the ability to make electric utilities quite

independently of the high costs imposed by operators.

Due to all the options available, this also presents

problems of its own that will be discussed throughout this

article.

The results show that there is real interest in shares of

energy utilities in developing WiMAX networks

associated with other forms of data transmission,

including PLC. Thus, the centralization of service delivery

and charging can be made a reality in little time and a lot

more efficiently.

NOMENCLATURE

4G: Fourth Generation

ADSL: Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line

GPON: Gigabit-capable Passive Optical Networks

IASP: Instituto Adventista de São Paulo

IEEE: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

LAN: Local Area Network

LLC: Logical Link Control

LTE: Long Term Evolution

M2M: Machine-to-Machine

PLC: Power Line Communication

TIC:

Technologies of Information and

Communication

VDSL: Very-high-bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line

WAN: Wide Area Network

Wi-Fi:

Wi-Fi Alliance’s Trademark, used as IEEE

802.11

WiMAX:

Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave

Access

Zigbee: Low Power wireless communication IEEE

802.15.4

INTRODUCTION

Smart Grid is a multidimensional network

organization with social added value which uses

synchronized protocols (content, interface, and

transmission) and associated multiplatforms with a

particular combination.

Although the Smart Grid is connected to the Grid,

being part of it, the existence of such technology will

enable the convergence of facilities services, as explained

in Santos and Silva (2013). The convergence of

distribution and sales of basic services such as electricity,

telephone, internet, water, gas, ensures the provision of a

more efficient service - allowing, for example, the

identification of supply disruptions and errors caused by

manual measurement cost reduction. This will result in

developing customers trust and autonomy in managing

their costs, greater convenience as they make payments

under unified rates. This new concept is a source of

benefit to the whole society: customers will have greater

awareness of their expenses, facilities drastically reduce

their losses and government agencies will be able to

monitor the pricing and quality of service offered.

The intelligence of the network not only refers to its

ability to traffic data. It suits various information and

communication technologies in order to make robust and

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secure operations, according to figure 1. The PLC

communication via power line, electrical networks in

infrastructure is a robust technology, but its high costs

preclude its use. In addition, there are other technologies

that can be used to traffic data, especially through long

distances supporting Smart Grid projects, mainly

WiMAX, the focus in this article, which can effectively be

combined with other platforms in a very short time.

Objective

The purpose of this article is to explore technologies

that can be applied in the implementation of Smart Grid in

the Brazilian territory, taking into account the implied

difficulties of each kind of technology used for data

traffic.

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate and

justify the use of WiMAX as a primary communication

feature of Smart Grid technologies, with low costs and

simple applications. For this intent, we present data from

surveys of companies supporting the thesis that by

exploring more technologies, among them the WiMAX,

there are better choices of achieving the Brazilian project

of Smart Grid in the shortest time and reaching more

profits.

LITERATURE REVIEW

The tool processes PArchitect, explains Gattaz (2001)

and Nephew (2001 and 2013) is geared to conceptualize

problems and solutions, considering the constraints driven

by the aggregate values and added to aid the evaluation of

the results of decisions, unifying them and applying them

at the time of sync in the interaction with reality.

In understanding and drafting process was sought

understanding based strategy research projects mentioned

by Gil (2012).

For the methodology of work, we sought to

understand the methods explained by Marconi and

Lakatos (2000, 2004 and 2011).

Watching these two extremes, and the various factors

that differentiate the current scenario in Brazil, with the

world stage, can it is possible to define a functional

concept, framing the possibility of deployment of smart

grids in Brazil, pointing concepts in principle aimed at the

convenience of the Brazilian reliability of supply of

electricity, and the Brazilian competitiveness before the

world.

An intelligent network is a topic that has been

discussed for about ten years only, and therefore, the said

topic, Smart Grid: various technologies and the challenges

of implementation of smart grids are even more recent in

the new concept of intelligent networks.

So many articles have been published, with different

points of view and also from various sources and

locations. Keeping this in view, the research on the

concept of the various technologies and the challenges of

implementing smart grid revenue was based on the

various areas of knowledge through documents, and the

implementing rules were decisive when reconsidered,

which could give impetus to this research work.

METHODOLOGY

Through the inductive method or induction, was

given a reasoning considering a particular number of cases

where it was completed a general truth about the various

technologies and the challenges of implementing smart

grid for the reasoning of this document.

However, this is a scientific research based on survey

data and assumptions, problems and possible solutions,

from matters reserved and isolated for an extended

application of the concept of solution oriented

technologies of smart grids.

For the process design of smart grids based on the

vision of service delivery and product, we used the tool

processes PArchitect.

PROBLEM FORMULATION

The PLC was the starting point for the Smart Grid

project, but today there are other technologies that have

stood out to be one of the infrastructure options used by

the Smart Grid. The main problem in making broader uses

is the lack of network improvements in infrastructure,

which present problems and issues as shown in figure 2.

In addition, the low technological development and the

harsh rules imposed by regulatory agencies. The problems

of these technologies are presented in figure 4.

If dealing with an intelligent network, able to

concentrate a range of services of great importance, one

should plan to make use of other technologies besides the

PLC to make the service more robust and adaptable to

varying conditions found in the vast Brazilian territory.

The monitoring network cannot be exposed to failures and

there are different distances between measurement points

of the network that require appropriate protocols and

platforms.

The Smart Grid is a multiplatform service, so you can

use it to move information across platforms: WIMAX,

Mobile, M2M, and Zigbee and fiber optic internet, see

figure 3. The WIMAX - Wireless long distance high

capacity - can be associated with already consolidated

data technology, creating a robust and reliable solution for

the development and implementation of the Smart Grid.

According to Santos and Silva (2013), the WiMAX

Forum is an infrastructure in which everyone owns a

device such as mobile phone, computer, smart meter and

other devices that are able to recognize this type of

technology across miles. Very different from Wi-Fi___33

whose reach is within meters, its signal can be transmitted

up to 6-9 kilometers - one of the key advantages of

WiMAX and its interoperability. Its IEEE 802.16 protocol

does not conflict with Wi-Fi 802.11, but complements it,

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you can easily switch to other networks based on Standard

LLC - IEEE 802.2, i.e., LANs and WANs. Thus this

feature is in the package of the Smart Grid, which is a

convergence point of other communication standards in

full commercial use - ADSL, VDSL, GPON, Ethernet and

cellular technologies, as explains Fagundes (2013).

Another important factor compared to other

technologies is its relative low costs. Since this

technology travels through long ongoing distances, it is

necessary to build a few transmission towers. Besides, this

technology is well-known by Brazilian industry, which

has the know-how for large scale production of switches

and other equipment that will be needed. i.e., contributing

to the creation of jobs in technology centers in Brazil.

One problem faced by WiMAX are the low

investments in its implementation. The main encouraging

project was eventually replaced by others that were more

profitable, as telephone operators and internet find

themselves surrounded by bureaucracy than looking

beyond to the construction of a more profitable

alternative network LTE/4G. The rural applications of

WiMAX can be replaced by LTE at lower frequencies and

further open the sale of voice and data packets in retail

market, since cellular activities are extremely profitable

for operators that discourage the advancement of

WiMAX. Likewise, plants used by operators are imported

from Chinese and European corporations and decreasing

collaboration would be achieved for the Brazilian GDP.

However, the PLC may develop only partially,

improving its resources and fulfilling the terms of its use

set forth by the government, allowing the Smart Grid to

fulfill its true purpose - not to depend on only one

technology for the transmission of the data collected.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Facilities can take advantage of a secondary current

WiMAX technology made available by operating

agencies. Operational costs created through the collection

of their own data transmission carriers through cellular

networks, fixed or fiber optic internet can be reduced. By

making use of public service, or not outsourcing data

transmission, costs in WiMAX network investment would

be reversed quickly, especially because of the needless

hiring of a service and of facilities becoming the owners

and managers of their own data networks, making them

less dependent on other service providers.

As results of the theory discussed above, AES

Eletropaulo, privately held Brazilian domestic and foreign

titled Eletropaulo Metropolitana de São Paulo SA

Electricity, electricity distribution agent in the

municipalities of the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo,

built the city of São Paulo, as well as its Smart Grid pilot

project, uses WiMAX technology for communication, and

relationship between smart meters in the network via radio

frequency (RF Mesh), are supported by a backbone of

fiber optic 10 Mbps to 20 Mbps.

A distribution company energy estimated to be the

largest project of Smart Grid in the country will be

investing US$ 72 million by 2015. The network is

expected to go into operation in the cities of Barueri,

Vargem Grande and Caucaia Alto, in the metropolitan

area of São Paulo, reaching more than 60,000 customers.

Among other things, the connection will be used to

communicate the need of replacement of wire relays and

the substitution of analog components for digital models,

allowing for the network restart in case of failure.

According to the schedule of AES Eletropaulo

(2013), the WiMAX network will be implemented this

same year, as the integrated operation central and the

measurement center are inaugurated. In 2014, we intend to

integrate the communication network with the last mile of

meters. As soon as 2015, the company aims completing

the network that will allow the start of operations.

Another company that has shown interest in the

development of Smart Grid CAS Tecnologia (2013),

engineering company located in the city of São Paulo.

Recently announced a smart metering solution of water

which promises to increase the efficiency of distribution

that can be associated with the features implemented by

the Smart Grid Dealers energy.

Despite the difficulties experienced by low

involvement of telecommunications corporations in

joining the wide use of WiMAX data transmission due to

the reasons mentioned above, of which highlights the use

of 4G, there are companies that invest heavily in their

development as a way to make possible its use in large-

scale Smart Grid.

CONCLUSION

The Smart Grid is one step closer to becoming a

reality in the lives of all Brazilians, but it can be

considered one of the greatest challenges for engineering

and national technical capacity. There is a great number of

challenges and options for the use of this technology

which are still in project, therefore, making appropriate

choices can define the success or failure of such major

investment.

There good reasons for the use of WiMAX, since it is

a technology in operation and known by national industry,

and it also has structural and economic advantages:

reduced operating costs and easy applicability for multiple

uses with the Smart Grid. The convergence of services

and pricing is facilitated by the use of WiMAX as the

PLC is limited to electrical lines and it alone does not

enable the interoperability desired for the future of the

Smart Grid.

We conclude that the application of WiMAX

technology is the most feasible option for deployment in

monitoring and data transmission measurement spent by

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electricity consumption. It is a considerably better option

the financial point of view and has better features when,

the amount of practical applications already available in

the retail market are regarded. Furthermore, their use can

be easily expanded to other distribution utilities that do

not directly use electric transmission lines.

REFERENCES

AES ELETROPAULO AES Eletropaulo

Anuncia o Maior Projeto de Smart Grid do País

<http://aesbrasilsustentabilidade.com.br/pt/noticias/item/a

es-eletropaulo-anuncia-o-maior-projeto-de-smart-grid-do-

pais.html> Access: 10 September in 2013.

______. Available at:

<http://www.WiMAXforum.org/literatureretrieve.aspx?id

=177985> Access: 10 September in 2013.

CAS TECNOLOGIA Cas Tecnologia Lança no

Metering Latin America a Primeira Solução de Smart

Water do Mercado Brasileiro. Available at:

<http://www.cas-tecnologia.com.br/index.php/cas-na-

imprensa/telemetria-e-automacao/42-solucoes-cas>

Access: 12 September in 2013

FAGUNDES, Eduardo M. WIMAX. Available

at: <http://www.efagundes.com/artigos/WiMAX.htm>

Access: 10 September. 2013.

GATTAZ, Cristiane Chaves, Brincando de

Processo Um Método De Capacitação Na Metodologia De

Processos, Editora O Mundo em Processo, 2001.

GIL, Antônio Carlos. Como Elaborar Projetos de

Pesquisa. Editora Atlas S.A. 4ª Edição, 2002.

LAKATOS, Eva Maria; MARCONI, Eva Maria.

Metodologia do trabalho científico. Editora Atlas S.A 7ª

Ed Revista e Ampliada 2011.

______ Metodologia científica. 3. Ed. São Paulo:

Atlas, 2000.

______ Metodologia científica. 4. Ed. São Paulo:

Atlas, 2004.

SANTOS, Clotilde Lais dos; SILVA, Jéssica

Caroline da. Smart Grid Prospecção Tecnológica do

Compartilhamento de Receita Das Redes Inteligentes.

Available

at:<http://www.slideshare.net/jessicacarolines/smart-grid-

prospeco-tecnolgica-do-compartilhamento-de-receita-das-

redes-inteligentes-doc-25729325> Access: 03 September

in 2013.

______. Available at:

<http://www.slideshare.net/jessicacarolines/smart-grid-

prospeco-tecnolgica-do-compartilhamento-de-receita-das-

redes-inteligentes> Access: 03 September in 2013.

SOBRINHO, Fuad. Gataz. Inovação, Processos

na Gestão da Complexidade da Inovação, 2013.

______. Processo: a máquina contextual nos

negócios, Editora O Mundo em Processo, 2001

FIGURES AND TABLES

Fig. 1 Process Management Products and Services Smart Grid

Fig. 2 Comparative Scenery

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Fig. 3 Simplified Model of Interconnections of the Smart Grid

Fig. 4 Available Technologies