Narrowband Power Line Communications: Enabling the Smart Grid

Without question, information and communication technologies will play a vital role in enabling the next-generation power systems to be more energy efficient and reliable than currently existing power systems. In particular, on the LV and MV grids, NB-PLC technologies are particularly attractive as a communications solution due to their low cost of deployment and ability to communicate across the transformer. This ability to cross the transformer is vital in power system topologies with lower population densities. It was ascertained that wideband interfering noise sources, such as defective lighting systems, hampered communication in both PRIME and G3-PLC systems. Additionally, the next-generation NB-PLC standards ITU-T G.hnem and IEEE 1901.2 were investigated. ITU-T G.hnem and IEEE 1901.2 seek to unify NB-PLC technologies and promise higher data rates than PRIME or G3-PLC. Surely, narrowband PLC technologies have a critical role in enabling a more efficient and reliable power grid.