Webinar: Transforming Substation Automation with Open Source Solutions

This webinar will provide an overview of open source software and tooling for digital substation automation in energy systems. The speakers will provide a brief overview of how open source collaborative development works in general, then delve into how it is driving innovation and accelerating the pace of substation automation. Examples of specific open source solutions and real-world implementations by utilities will be discussed. Participants will walk away with a better understanding of the challenges of automating substations, the ecosystem of solutions available to help, and best practices for implementing them.

1. Transforming Substation Automation with Open Source Solutions Alex Thornton (LF Energy) Jos Zenner (Welotec)

2. What is Open Source? A way of collaborating on R&D that results in working software that anyone can view, change, or share according to a permissive license.

3. Benefits of Open Source Shared R&D accelerates innovation and reduces individual costs . Interoperability through modular approach. Improved security through absolute transparency. Long-term maintainability with a shared common core and thriving community around it.

4. Open Source powers nearly all modern technology Phones Cars Cloud computing Supercomputers Stock exchanges Nuclear submarines Drones Telecom networks Mars helicopter And much much more…

5. Successful businesses are built on Open Source Vendors build differentiated enterprise products, services and support around the open foundation. PROJECTS PROFITS PRODUCTS PARTICIPATION DEVELOPER COMMUNITY MARKETS TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS

6. Successful businesses are built on Open Source Vendors build differentiated enterprise products, services and support around the open foundation. PROJECTS PROFITS PRODUCTS PARTICIPATION DEVELOPER COMMUNITY MARKETS TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS

7. The most valuable, innovative companies in the world invest in Open Source ‹#› Source: https://opensourceindex.io/ . Data for March 2024, captured Apr 25, 2024 Source: https://companiesmarketcap.com/ , captured Apr 25, 2024 Company Open Source Contributions Company Value

8. 2001: “Linux is a cancer”

9. 2001: “Linux is a cancer” 2014: “ Microsoft ♥ Linux ”

10. Why did Microsoft embrace Linux and Open Source? At the core, “Microsoft ♥ Linux” is driven by what we’ve heard from you as customers .  You run workloads on Windows.  You run workloads on Linux.   You run these workloads in your on-premises datacenters, hosted at service providers, and in public clouds.  You just want it all to work, and to work together regardless of the operating system.  We hear you, and understand that your world is heterogeneous .  Bottom line, this is a business opportunity for Microsoft to offer heterogeneous support — both Windows and Linux workloads – on-premises and in a public cloud.  Microsoft can add real value in a heterogeneous cloud. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/blog/2015/05/06/microsoft-loves-linux/

11. 2001: “Linux is a cancer” 2014: “ Microsoft ♥ Linux ”

12. Open Source security Because it’s transparent, inspectable and auditable by anyone, open technology is often more secure than closed. DoD has a policy mandating a preference for Open Source over proprietary solutions.

13. Open Source security Entities like the Open Source Security Foundation creates tools, policies and best practices to address cybersecurity risks. Community of contributors can identify and fix bugs faster than a single vendor typically can.

14. Unprecedented changes and complexity By Bartz/Stockmar, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69505750 Source: Grid Strategies: The Era of Flat Power is Over. https://gridstrategiesllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/National-Load-Growth-Report-2023.pdf

15. How do we solve this complexity? Yesterday Build physical infrastructure to handle the worst-case scenario. 💰 🕒

16. How do we solve this complexity? FERC Order 881 on transmission line ratings: “If we are going to meet the needs of the grid of the future while keeping customer rates just and reasonable and maintaining grid reliability, we need to squeeze everything out of our existing grid .” – Chairman Glick

17. How do we solve this complexity? Yesterday Build physical infrastructure to handle the worst-case scenario. 💰 🕒 Tomorrow Data-driven, digital optimization of physical infrastructure.

18. Open Source complements standards development Identify common problem Collaborate Produce a document that defines the formal standard

19. Open Source complements standards development ‹#› Identify common problem Collaborate Produce a document that defines the formal standard Interpret standard Interpret standard Interpret standard Implement standard Implement standard Implement standard Strategic value-add Strategic value-add Strategic value-add Multiple flavors of implementation Duplication of effort

20. Open Source complements standards development ‹#› Identify common problem Collaborate Produce a document that defines the formal standard Strategic value-add Strategic value-add Strategic value-add Interpret and implement standard Open Source extends and complements traditional collaboration

21. Accelerate grid modernization with Open Source The grid needs digital optimization Open Source is the best way to innovate with digital technology Every grid stakeholder should have an Open Source strategy

22. Open Source for Substation Automation – Why is it so Important? Open Source real time hypervisor Avoid vendor lock in  Flexibility in choosing the right product Long term availability and security Real Interoperability Real Multi-Vendor Solution (such a tool should not come from one Vendor)

23. Digital Substation architecture

24. Basics of virtualization in Substation Automation Virtualization is the process of running a virtual instance of a computer system in a layer abstracted from the actual hardware.

25. ‹#› Hypervisors - The different types of hypervisors Type-1-Hypervisor - Bare Metal Hypervisor Directly installed on the hardware (like an operating system) Has direct access to the hardware Type-2-Hypervisor - Hosted Hypervisor Installed as Application on a Host Operating System Application is taking care of coordinating access to resources like CPU, RAM, etc. Type-1-Hypervisors are best suited for substation automation because they are more performant!

26. Introducing LF Energy SEAPATH – Open Source Real-Time Capable Hypervisor SEAPATH is one component of a virtualized PAC (vPAC) system vPAC totally changes the way those systems are operated / maintained From an historical OT to a much more IT-like system with daily updates.

27. Introducing LF Energy SEAPATH – Open Source Real-Time Capable Hypervisor SEAPATH is the virtualization base for a multi vendor PACS. SEAPATH is a infrastructure as a code project that makes it possible to roll out and configure a complex infrastructure based on open source implementations SEAPATH can have 3, 5 or 7 nodes with or without observer SEAPATH supports Debian Linux and Yocto Linux

28. SEAPATH TSC Meeting Minutes https://github.com/seapath/TSC/blob/master/TSC_Minutes/20240606_TSC_MOM.md SEAPATH has active participation from multiple companies in the TSC: Technical Steering Committee SEAPATH TSC is open for everybody

29. Voices on SEAPATH "An important development in the field of substation automation is the shift towards a 'software-defined substation'. In this approach, all protection functions and additional grid features are incorporated into software services running on a station server. Ideally, an open source real-time platform , such as SEAPATH, operates on these station servers, allowing software services from multiple vendors to run seamlessly and fostering a larger support ecosystem. This approach prevents vendor lock-in , enhances flexibility , and improves long-term availability ." Jonas van den Bogaard Digital Strategy and Open Source Office Lead, Alliander “The virtualization of substation automation systems will bring significant hardware savings, improved functional scalability and lower O&M costs. The SEAPATH project is a cornerstone of this development, providing a high-performance , industry-grade, multi-vendor platform. ” Lucian Balea Deputy Director of R&D and Open Source Director, RTE

30. Benefits for Utilities – Participate in Creating Your Independent and Secure Solution (1) Cost Savings 💸 Transparency and Security 🔐 Flexibility and Customization 🎨 Vendor Independence 💪 Innovation and Long-Term Support 🔭

31. Benefits for Utilities – Participate in Creating Your Independent and Secure Solution (2) How Utilities Can Contribute Coding Expertise Financial Backing Sharing Use Cases Demonstrating market appetite for open solutions

32. Benefits for Utilities – Participate in Creating Your Independent and Secure Solution (3) Concerns from Utilities Security Support or “Not buying a product” Stability “RTE trusts SEAPATH for the next-gen PACS: Delivering unmatched interoperability , versatility , and high-performance virtualization features for our multi vendor system." Bastien Desbos Project Manager , Rte

33. IEC 61850 SCL configuration management/configuration ecosystem Offers multi-vendor, centrally managed, open source, extensible, customizable, user friendly, SCL editing and management tools Primary use cases Requirements specification Grid planning: CIM to 61850 Operational changes Asset management planning Register for substation configurations Measurement quality and related settings Interface for other systems such as SCADA, CMDB, grid control, etc Learn more at compas.energy | GitHub | Video

34. Multi-protocol translation gateway for power systems based on the industrial IoT LF Edge project Fledge Better flexibility and scalability Reduced maintenance costs Open and standardized model (61850) Standard model for all substations Facilitate the integration of renewable energies Learn more at fledgepower.energy | GitHub | Video

35. Get involved! Join a Technical Steering Committee meeting https://zoom-lfx.platform.linuxfoundation.org/meetings/seapath?view=month Join the mailing list https://lists.lfenergy.org/g/SEAPATH Join the Slack channel https://lfenergy.slack.com/archives/C01EH8ZLJTC If you’re a technology vendor: build a commercial product off of SEAPATH, and contribute to the upstream development If you’re a utility: advocate for solutions based on SEAPATH, like our friends at RTE did https://ted.europa.eu/fr/notice/-/detail/040297-2024 Become an LF Energy member https://lfenergy.org/

36. Welotec's Open Source Strategy We empower our employees to engage and contribute to open source projects to fulfill our mission: “ We intelligentize the power grid for sustainable, secure and affordable energy. ”