IEEE 2030.5 Standard Progress
In 2016, the following key events occurred:
- California Public Utility Commission approved a landmark order that makes the IEEE 2030.5 standard the default communications protocol in California for grid integration of DER resources.
- IEEE organized the 2nd IEEE Symposium and Expo and a public workshop in November 2016.
- The California IOUs have released V1.0 of the “IEEE 2030.5 Common California IOU Rule 21 Implementation Guide for Smart Inverters,” otherwise known as CSIP V1.0. This is not posted publicly yet but we are happy to supply a copy of this public document if you don’t have one.
- EPRI is leading a team that includes QualityLogic, SunSpec, and EnPhase with the goals to develop an open source IEEE 2030.5 Client, ensure that the IEEE 2030.5 standard supports CA Rule 21 requirements, and ensure that a CA Rule 21 certification program is developed and available within the next two years. The California Energy Commission is funding this project.
- UL 1741 SA certification Test Specification was approved on September 8, 2016. This starts the timer on requirements in both California and Hawaii that all inverters installed after September 8, 2017, must support specified smart inverter functions for each state. This is a critical step in standardizing the advanced inverter functionality that drives the need for communications using IEEE 2030.5.
Since then, the following key milestones will be important for the industry:
- The CPUC issued an Order on April 6, 2017 stating that ““…Phase 2 recommendations…will become mandatory for generating facilities utilizing inverter-based technologies…on or after the effective date which is defined as : the later of (a) March 1, 2018 or (b) nine months after the release of the SunSpec Alliance communication protocol certification test standard…” QualityLogic is working with SunSpec on the IEEE 2030.5 Protocol Certification Test Specification.
- The IEEE 2030.5 Symposium in November 2016 attracted 80 people, 30 of whom stayed the next day for a full day IEEE 2030.5 workshop organized by QualityLogic’s Steve Kang and including Robby Simpson (GE and Vice Chair, IEEE 2030.5 Working Group) and Gordon Lum (Kitu).
- The CSIP document has been released and QualityLogic developed an analysis of CSIP for IEEE 2030.5 developers. The QualityLogic “Implementing CA Rule 21 Functional Communications Requirements Using IEEE 2030.5”, dated July 7, 2016, is available on request.
- QualityLogic is currently helping to develop the SunSpec Test Specification that will meet the project requirements as well as the CPUC Test Specification requirements. We have also started development of updated test tools to certify products to the SunSpec Test Specification.
- The “drop-dead” dates have passed in CA and HI and inverter vendors are busy getting the UL 1741SA.
- In June 2017, QualityLogic participated in an IEEE webinar on IEEE 2030.5 which attracted over 1000 registrants and almost 500 attendees.
- In July, QualityLogic participated in a SunSpec IEEE 2030.5 session at InterSolar in San Francisco. Tom Tansy made it very clear that the IEEE 2030.5 standard certification requirements were coming. About 80 people attended.
- The IEEE 2030.5 standard has been approved and is comment resolution for an update that adds the CA Rule 21 mandated and optional smart inverter functions. It is expected to be finalized early in 2018.
- An IEEE 1547 update is being balloted with less than 30 comments to be resolved before final approval. The new 1547 includes a requirement that an interconnected DER support one of three (3) communications protocols: SunSpec, DNP3 and IEEE 2030.5. QualityLogic is participating in development of the interoperability tests for the communications protocols that will be included in IEEE 1547.1, expected to be published in 2019.
- QualityLogic is offering an updated 2-day workshop on developing IEEE 2030.5 to support CA Rule 21. We have conducted or have scheduled 6 such workshops and plan a series of public workshops in 2018.