G3-PLCSummary

G3-PLCSummary

G3-PLC Overview

An electricity grid w ithout adequate communications is simply a pow er distributor. It is through the addition of two-w ay communications that the pow er grid is made "smart." How ever, until recently the lack of cost-eff ective, standardized communications that can deliver the bandwidth, reliability and security that the smart grid needs has hampered the progress and implementation of the smart grid w orldw ide.

G3-PLC? w as developed to meet the industry's need f or a potentially ubiquitous pow erline communications standard that will enable the smart grid vision. G3-PLC f acilitates high-speed, highly-reliable, long-range communication over the existing

pow erline grid. With the ability to c ross transformers, infrastructure costs are reduced and with its support of IPv6, G3-PLC w ill support pow erline communications into the f uture.

Two-w ay communications netw orks based on G3-PLC w ill provide electricity netw ork operators w ith intelligent monitoring and control capabilities. Operators w ill be able to monitor electricity consumption throughout the grid in real time, implement variable tariff schedules, and set limits on electricity consumption to better manage peak loads.

In turn, consumers w ill have real-time visibility into their electricity consumption, thus promoting demand-side conservation. With the addition of variable tariff schedules, users will be encouraged to reduce electricity consumption during peak usage times.

Ultimately, intelligent netw ork management techniques provide a smarter solution f or the environment. Rather than build more pow er plants to support w orst-case scenarios, network operators will be able to optimally utilize existing resources. At the same time, demand-side management w ill f unction as a f orm of indirect generation by better balancing the distribution of loads.

G3-PLC Benefits

Field tests have proven that the s imple elegance of a G3-PLC? system low ers infrastructure c osts when compared to other wired and w ireless communications architectures. By communicating on the very pow erline infrastructure it measures and controls, it avoids the need to create new communications paths through obstacles such as buildings, hills, and basements that block wireless communications. So, installation and maintenance costs are low er.

Most importantly, G3-PLC was designed to meet present and future advanced netw orking and application layer needs. As the world's only CENELEC /FCC PLC solution supporting true IPv6 addressing, G3-PLC can potentially save millions in unneeded netw ork upgrade costs.

When evaluating communications platforms, it is important to f ind a solution t hat:

Provides a cos t effec tive sys tem archi tec ture

G3-PLC provides the best performance and cost efficiency f or medium- and low-voltage pow er grids. By

communicating over the very lines that it measures and controls, PLC technology minimizes infrastructure and

maintenance costs.

Is standards based to ensure in teroperabili ty

G3-PLC supports frequency bands w orldw ide (10 kHz to 490 kHz). Coexists with IEC 61334, IEEE P1901 and ITU G.hn.

Minimizes inf ras tructure cos ts

G3-PLC provides long range communications and can effectively cross MV-LV trans f ormers reducing the number of concentrators and repeaters needed.

Can support new dis tribution switches, sensors and home area network applications

G3-PLC incorporates 6LoWPAN adaptation layer to transmit IPv6 packets over pow erline channels. The

802.15.4-based MAC layers enables interoperability.