closing the gap between lightning and power system data

ILDC/ILMC Tucson, Arizona March 18-21, 2014 Closing the Gap – Using Open Source Software to Make the Connection Between Lightning and Power System Data Fred Elmendorf – Grid Protection Alliance Presented by Theo Laughner - TVA

Topics

• Purpose of the paper

• Brief History of Open Source Software (OSS)

• Some OSS Power System Tools

• Opportunities for Data Integration

• Closing the Gap

Purpose

• To stimulate new ideas for better lightning/power system tools

• Provide a background on open source software (OSS)

• Give examples of existing OSS power system tools

• Suggest ways to close the gap between lightning and power system data

Better Tools(1)

• Setting the stage: – Existing lightning and power system processes and

applications have developed independently, then their products are correlated

– Each respective environment has continuous improvement, but independent goals

– ROI for continued independent refinement is decreasing

– Relatively small gains in better information would produce high value in operating the power system

Better Tools (2)

• Setting the bar: – Concise comprehensive databases and reports

containing information from lightning and power system data sources could greatly improve power system operations and maintenance processes

– Example report:

18 March 2014 UTC:03:46:27.187635 Lat:35.04569298015 Lon: 85.26725297677 kA: 38.4

System Impact: This stroke attached to a 62 ft. oak tree 2.4 miles from the nearest power system asset. Interaction with the power system did not exceed effective operating limits and initiated no associated fault.

18 Mar 2014 UTC:03:46:27.213267 Lat:35.04568076326 Lon: 85.26725483724 kA:7.9

System Impact: This stroke attached to the A-phase conductor mid-span between structures #264 and #265. A cracked insulator at structure #267 allowed a flashover to the insulator attachment causing a momentary A-phase to ground fault.

Better Tools (3)

• Setting the course: – Independent proprietary systems for lightning and

power systems continue to improve independently, but cannot reach the desired goals

– Correlating the output from these independent systems provides more information but still does not provide the necessary refinement

– OSS projects facilitate collaboration and bring ‘many eyes’ to focus on solving the problem, while allowing rapid development and testing not constrained by proprietary goals

OSS Background (1)

Early Days Free Software = Free Beer

OR Free Software = Free Speech

OSS Background (2)

• In 1998, The Open Source Initiative (OSI) coined the term ‘open source’ as part of a marketing campaign to remove ambiguity and convey a more positive message

• The technical definition of OSS is a continuing debate

• Practically it refers to computer programs that make the source code available with no licensing fee

• Anyone can review, and developers can modify, enhance, or extend within the constraints of the specific OSS license

• Department of Defense requires that OSS be considered equal to, or even preferentially, compared to proprietary solutions

Big Changes in Past 10 Years*

*These clips are taken from an infographic created by infografik.com.tr http://visual.ly/10-years-open-source

http://visual.ly/10-years-open-source







OSS Power System Tools (1)

• Early power system applications were all openly collaborated and shared

• After the advent of proprietary systems user groups attempted to facilitate continued collaboration

• As early as 1996 OSS projects began to form: UWPFLOW, a research tool for power system studies, and TEFTS for transient stability studies


• More recent OSS projects from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) include:

– OpenDSS (2009) a distribution system simulator

– Geomagnetic Induced Current (GIC) simulator for OpenDSS (2012)

– OpenFLE (2012) an automated distance to fault calculation tool analyzing disturbance records


• OSS projects from Grid Protection Alliance (GPA) beginning in 2010 include:

– openPDC a synchrophasor data concentrator

– SIEGate a secure information exchange gateway

– openXDA an extensible platform for creating automated disturbance analytic systems built around the EPRI openFLE work

Opportunities for Data Integration (1)

http://www.blackducksoftware.com/resources/infographics/2013-future-open-source-open-revolution













• Current media and publications have many references to the benefits of OSS

– Tech Crunch, Feb. 13, 2014 - “Many of today’s most successful new companies rely on an ecosystem of standardized OSS…”

– Forbes, Feb. 4, 2014 - “…business and consumers world-wide will ultimately benefit from the proliferation of “open source” in the form of lower prices…”

– An industry professional, Jiles Gurp, Feb. 2014 - “Very few companies inside or outside the software industry can afford to do business without depending (heavily) on open source”.


• Some advantages of OSS: – High Quality

– Facilitates security

– Competitive features

– Lower total cost of ownership

– Stimulates innovation

– Encourages collaboration

– Reduces time to deployment

Closing the Gap (1)

• Lightning data has improved dramatically

• Power system data is providing better precision and becoming ubiquitous

• Continued independent improvement is increasingly costly

• More definitive and more timely answers are needed to describe lightning interactions with power systems

Closing the Gap (2)

• OSS provides the environment for rapid development of new technologies

• Correlation of the output from the independent systems is not good enough

• Linking power system data into the lightning data processing system could facilitate new refinement techniques for stroke data

Closing the Gap (3)

Summary:

– An open source approach is needed to explore new possibilities.

– Bringing data sources together can reduce unknowns

– An open source framework can be incrementally extended to eventually produce the desired comprehensive lightning reports automatically

closing the gap between lightning and power system data

Technology