Faberwork helps make the electrical Grid smarter.
We show how assistance with Certification advances both client and national energy interests.
Client
Faberwork’s client was a large energy firm seeking to join an industry consortium. The consortium was an important effort formed to improve the performance of the nation’s electrical grid. This group facilitates energy savings, which is an international priority.
Membership of the group had many benefits for the company, including cost reduction and increased efficiency. Working to develop the Smart Grid would improve the firm’s production and profits. Joining allowed the firm to become an integrator and developer of national and international standards and products.
Challenge
The client sought Faberwork’s assistance in meeting the technical requirements to join the Consortium, OpenADR. OpenADR is a set of worldwide energy firms establishing professional standards to help enhance the nation’s Smart Grid. The Smart Grid will intelligently distribute electricity between generators of energy and users. Improving the Grid is particularly compelling in dealing with demand and supply imbalances. These imbalances are exacerbated during peak summer months and peak winter months. A Smart Grid is critical for energy producers and consumers.
The consortium is “open” in the sense that it is designed to accommodate a wide range of users and producers. It produces standards of communication between users and producers across the nation. It is also seeking to evolve standards internationally.
The consortium is open to the industry and produces guides that are available to all and its details are approved by the energy industry. It is important for all users because industrial and commercial customers can act collectively to manage the impact of stress on the grid. The industry understands that Critical Peak Pricing events need to be communicated and managed by action across the electrical system.
Individual companies can participate by meeting Certification Program Levels. OpenADR Certification is designed to guarantee that a company’s information interfaces meet the OpenADR specifications. This includes achieving Security Requirements as well as passing a variety of tests.
At a high level, the OpenADR communications system consists of a Virtual End Node (VEN) and a Virtual Top Node (VTN). As the name implies the end node, the VEN, receives data from the over-grid through the VTN. The VEN then sends the grid data to the individual equipment such as thermostats, and heating and cooling systems.
Solution
Faberwork contributed to the analysis, design, development, testing, integration and production support. This work was an accelerated effort by our international team. This also involved the implementation of a ProvisioningUI that helped visualize the transition of DR-events through various states as they happened. This helps even a novice OpenADR operator in troubleshooting a problem and enables the person to quickly respond to it. This is an important element in growing the Grid. The clarity of the notice is in fact critical to the Smart Grid.
Result
- With Faberwork’s assistance, the client successfully joined the ADR consortium.
- Client benefits from cost savings and improved product design.
- This certified implementation helps the Client market their products more easily.
- Faberwork and client work to enhance smart grid capabilities.
“Faberwork applications are in use across a range of industries. Energy, and energy savings, however, is one of the most important ones.”
—Alok Pancholi, Founder & CEO of Faberwork
