Bridging the gap with Broadband Powerline (BPL) technology

The paper will present the usage of Broadband Powerline (BPL) communication technology as a backbone communication infrastructure for smart metering and smart grid applications and systems. BPL provides transparent real-time TCP/IP communication over existing MV/LV grids. The technology is being used, for example, as the communications platform for the Smart City Mannheim (MoMa) project, where more than 10 000 BPL modems in total are deployed, covering most of the city area and giving access to BPL TCP/IP connectivity to more than 120 000 households. This enables DSOs to collect and share the data needed to be integrated as well as to control distributed renewable energy sources in order to balance out load and demand and avoid critical grid situations. The BPL-IP-Backbone connections may be linked with any kind of other TCP/IP data transportation medium such as fiber optic, microwave radio links or classical Ethernet. The paper will also briefly present the underlying technology used to transform a standard LY7MV grid into a communication grid. Using an IEEE 1901 compliant chip and special firmware to set up auto-routing and auto-forwarding functionality, it is possible to build a resilient meshed grid architecture providing a transparent real-time TCP/IP network. At any point in the LV/MV network, BPL devices may be connected and combined with other TCP/IP devices either for uplink connection or redundancy purposes. Using this approach, the "last few yards" may be covered efficiently and cost effectively. The paper will cover both the basics of the technology using an IEEE 1901 BPL-chipset and the usage of the BPL backbone in the MoMa E-Energy project - Smart City Mannheim. The MoMa project is a beacon project established by the German Federal Government which uses pricing signals to balance out production and demand in a smart grid set up. The paper will present the latest results from the MoMa-project.