Singapore, 27 October 2015 - DNV GL today announces the launch of its IEC 61850 Test Centre in Singapore. The IEC 61850 Test Centre is the first independent test centre focusing on providing IEC 61850 and other related testing services to electricity utilities, large generation plants and grid-tied distributed energy resources in the Asia Pacific region.
- DNV GL’s Test centre in Singapore will provide independent profile and compliance testing of communication components to enhance security and reliability of the grid
- Test Centre will focus on providing IEC 61850 and other related testing services to electricity utilities, large generation plants and grid-tied distributed energy resources in the Asia Pacific region
- Certification of communication components for central and distributed control systems in the electricity supply network enhances the reliability of the grid and is necessary to secure the future of the smart grid development in the region
Electric utilities are under increasing pressure to ensure their power grids remain reliable over a wide range of operating conditions, to cater for more distributed energy resources and to extend the operating life of key assets. Smart grid and smart metering technologies are being introduced into the power grids with increasing customers’ demands for better reliability and cost-effective electricity supply as well as the needs for close-to-real-time data exchanges/transfers from various components in the power grid.
In order for the central control systems and distributed control systems to communicate effectively, the international IEC 61850 standard has been developed for data communication of devices within and between substations and distributed and renewable energy resources. DNV GL’s customers in Asia Pacific countries will be able to engage testing services of DNV GL’s IEC 61850 Test Centre to ensure that communication components connected to the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System or any intelligent communication network will be able to communicate with the distributed or central control centres of the utilities seamlessly and speedily in exchanging/transferring crucial data for the enhancement of the security and reliability of electricity supply networks.
The IEC 61850 Test Centre is part of the services to be offered by the Protocol Competence and Test Centre of DNV GL’s Clean Technology Centre in Singapore, which will offer a comprehensive range of services, including functional and technical advisory trainings, project implementation support and testing in the field of data communication components in the power grids, including the definition of dedicated utility profiles for IEC 61850. Services offered span from feasibility studies to the design of communication infrastructures and from acceptance testing to profile compliance testing for the electricity supply network.
Mathias Steck, DNV GL’s Regional Manager Asia Pacific for Energy and Renewables Advisory: “I am delighted DNV GL has brought this independent testing facility to APAC – to support our customers in the fastest growing electricity market in the world. Future grids and technology will require highly reliable communication. Think about Smart Grids, the Internet of Things or the whole discussion around Big Data. Certification of communication devices will not only enhance the reliability of the grid in general, but it’s also necessary to secure the future of smart grid developments in the region.”
Goh Chee Kiong, Executive Director, Cleantech at Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB): “We are pleased that DNV GL has chosen Singapore to be the only location outside Europe to set up its IEC 61850 Test Centre for Substation Automation. Housed within DNV GL’s Clean Technology Centre in Singapore, this test centre will attract and support companies to develop and test innovative network and digital substation technologies in Singapore. This investment will facilitate the export of these technologies to regional markets and contribute to Singapore's leadership position in energy management.”
DNV GL’s IEC 61850 Test Centre
The IEC 61850 Test Centre will offer independent profile compliance testing in the areas of: Test Strategy Planning, Protocol Test Suites & Simulation, Interoperability & Interchangeability and Profiles Compliancy Services. Customers of DNV GL’s IEC 61850 Test Centre will be able to enjoy the following benefits from profiles compliance testing: reducing inter-operability risks to an acceptable level before system integration, providing maximum customer confidence that the device will inter-operate flawlessly with other tested devices now and in the future, “Type testing” of the communication interface of an Intelligent Electronic Device formalized in IEC 61850 part 10: Conformance Testing, to be performed on the basis of the utility specific IEC 61850 profile and assuring the device is in conformance with IEC 61850.