ComSensus: enabling real-time distribution grid observability

ComSensus is a technology and innovation SME based in Slovenia, focused on the development of embedded systems for real-time monitoring and control of smart grids. The company’s products portfolio include BEEP system for remote assets monitoring, VESNA development and prototyping embedded system platform, and SPM and PMC modular devices for synchrophasor and power quality measurements. Given the founders’ strong research background, the company is involved in a number of innovation and experimentation activities related to sensor-based products and service. Some of the collaborative projects include H2020 TRIANGLE, H2020 WiSHFUL, H2020 Fed4FIRE+, and H2020 F-Interop.

The RESOLVD project is addressing the challenge of accommodating the increasing power flow dynamics in the low voltage part of the distribution grid that is mainly introduced by the progressive penetration of distributed generation. In this regard, the main objective of ComSensus is to develop the grid observability tools, in particular the sensor devices such as synchrophasor and power quality measurement devices as well as gateways to aggregate data from the legacy infrastructure and project developed power electronics.

While the grid supervision tools typically make use of dedicated connectivity infrastructure, distribution system operators s have a particular need to utilize cellular machine-type communication due to the ramification of assets over a wide area. In this context, some of the initial ComSensus efforts related to measurement devices design was in the adoption and analysis of different connectivity technologies for the support of mission-critical observability and protection applications. The findings and recommendations will be presented at the EuCNC conference paper entitled “Real-Time Connectivity Capabilities of Cellular Network for Smart Grid Applications”.