An Ignoble Experiment

2. Consumer misconceptions hinder EV use

ComEd has completed digital upgrades to its Wallace substation on Chicago's south side.

The smart substation uses state-of-the-art technology to reduce the frequency and duration of power outages and improves ComEd's ability to proactively monitor the electrical system and respond quickly to potential issues. An "Intelligent Substation Dashboard" provides information on the overall health of the substation components and communicates directly to ComEd when something is wrong. Sensors analyze up to 1,500 pieces of information every two seconds. Digital technology makes it easier for ComEd to identify fault locations so that crews can be sent quickly and directly to problem areas.

"Our approach addresses the complete substation. We upgrade all the electro-mechanical devices to microprocessor technology and install advanced equipment diagnostics," said Terry Donnelly, executive vice president and chief operating officer, ComEd. "This will dramatically improve our ability to constantly monitor the system, identify potential issues and keep them from becoming problems."

ComEd thanks the recent passing of Illinois' smart grid law for being able to create smart substations as part of its 21st Century grid. As a result of the law, ComEd is investing $2.6 billion over 10 years to improve its infrastructure and add smart technologies.

Over the next five years, ComEd will upgrade 10 substations into smart substations. The Wallace facility is the first substation to be transformed into a smart substation under the law.

For more:
- see this article

Read more about: ComEd, Substation Components
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By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

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3. Smart meter awareness group rejected by federal judge

The manufactured volume of plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) has grown significantly over the last year and is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 30 percent between 2012 and 2020, according to Navigant Research, but consumers still have several misconceptions about these vehicles.

"So-called 'range anxiety' continues to be the number one reason cited by consumers who are not interested in purchasing PEVs," said Dave Hurst, principal research analyst at Navigant Research. "A number of other negative perceptions continue to persist, however, helping to explain why overall consumer interest in PEVs has declined since 2011."

In a Navigant Research survey of consumers, participants identified a misconception that PEVs are not more economical than gasoline vehicles. In fact, 37 percent believe that PEVs are not cheaper to own than gas vehicles over the long run. Further, 37 percent believe that PEV batteries are dangerous. Even respondents interested in PEVs showed concern, as more than 33 percent believe that current PEV owners are often stranded as a result of their vehicles running out of power.

For more:
- see this article

Read more about: Electric Vehicles, PEV
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By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

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4. ZigBee IP specification leading up to SEP2

A judge has dismissed the federal lawsuit filed in December 2011 by the Naperville Smart Meter Awareness Group, which raised health and privacy concerns about electric smart meters, against the City of Naperville's Smart Grid Initiative (NSGI).

The NSGI is an upgrade of the city's $360 million electric network, in which smart meter installation is more than 99.9 percent complete.

The judge ruled that the group failed to adequately state its claims that the city was violating their constitutional rights by implementing the Naperville Smart Grid Initiative (NSGI). There was no proof, the ruling stated, that smart meters were harming anyone's health due to radio frequency emissions.

The judge's ruling stated that the city's Non-Wireless Meter Alternative (NWMA) option has allowed Naperville residents to install a non-wireless electric meter to control whether radio frequencies are emitted from their smart meters. The city has also taken precautions to guarantee that electric usage data gathered from meters for the purposes of utility operations will not be shared without customer consent.

Further, the judge found there was no evidence showing that more detailed information about electric usage was being gathered or used without consent; therefore, privacy concerns were unfounded.

For more:
- see this report
- see this report
- see this article

By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

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5. Wake Electric completes transformer testing using smart grid as a service app

The ZigBee Alliance has completed its third specification ZigBee IP, which the alliance says is the first open standard for an IPv6-based full wireless mesh networking solution providing seamless Internet connections.

ZigBee IP enriches the IEEE 802.15.4 standard by adding network and security layers and an application framework, offering a scalable architecture with end-to-end IPv6 networking and laying the foundation for an Internet of Things without the need for intermediate gateways.

The Zigbee IP standard was designed to work seamlessly with other standard Internet protocols, such as 6LoWPAN, IPv6, PANA, RPL, TCP, TLS and UDP.

"ZigBee IP provides another option for product manufacturers to add mesh networking to their products," said Tobin Richardson, chairman and CEO of the ZigBee Alliance. "We expect to see a wave of ZigBee Certified products based on ZigBee IP when Smart Energy Profile 2 is completed later this year since ZigBee IP was designed specifically to meet SEP2 requirements for the smart grid."

For more:
- download the specification

Read more about: Zigbee Alliance, IEEE Standard
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By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

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