Feb. 7, 2019 (Exton, PA)—The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) and its global arm, the International Society of Broadband Experts (ISBE), today announced creation of a Microgrid Working Group within the ANSI-accredited SCTE•ISBE Standards Program. The project will be conducted within the Energy Management Subcommittee and in conjunction with the SCTE•ISBE Energy 2020 program.
The working group’s charter is to define operational practices and standards for microgrids; to facilitate communication among service providers, industry partners, and other standards organizations; to educate the community on the applicability and use of microgrid technology in cable system operator facilities; to demonstrate that the technology is deployable and manageable for service providers; and to create a library of microgrid use cases showing how proper application of microgrids can improve resiliency, reduce operational costs, and accelerate deployment.
The Microgrid Working Group is being chaired by Tim Martinson, vice president of EMerge Alliance, an association developing standards for DC power distribution in commercial structures. The vice chair is David Geary, PE, senior principal electrical engineer with Comcast.
“While much of the industry’s focus in recent years has been on reducing power costs and consumption, sustainability and the ability to maintain operations in the face of grid power interruptions are topics that are key to operators’ businesses,” said Martinson. “Microgrids can contribute new solutions in three key areas that have been raised during the Energy 2020 meetings—energy cost, energy availability, and the seamless ability to incorporate renewable technologies into the power portfolio.”
“As we’ve shown with our own projects at SCTE•ISBE headquarters, photovoltaic systems, fuel cells, storage batteries, and other sources can maintain essential powering when the utility grid is unavailable,” said Derek DiGiacomo, senior director, energy programs and business continuity for SCTE•ISBE. “The expertise of the Microgrid Working Group will jumpstart the ability of the Energy Management Subcommittee to provide the industry with standards and operational practices related to hardened availability and renewability of power supplies.”
Energy 2020 brings together cable operator and vendor expertise to create alignment on standards and operational practices, to drive design and implementation of equipment, and to create SCTE•ISBE training resources that will enable workforce teams to optimize technology for maximum efficiency. More information on Energy 2020 and the SCTE•ISBE Energy Management Program is available at http://www.scte.org/energy/ or by e-mailing energy@scte.org.
The SCTE•ISBE Standards Program is the only ANSI-accredited forum for the development of technical specifications supporting cable telecommunications. Standards work includes: Internet of Things; data and telephony over cable; application platform development; digital video; emergency alert systems; network monitoring systems; cables, connectors, and amplifiers; construction and maintenance practices; energy management; and other areas of interest.
Corporate membership in the program is open to any organization in the cable telecommunications industry. Member organizations develop standards and operational practices through their technical representatives who serve on committees and subcommittees.
Details about the SCTE•ISBE Standards Program—including how to become involved as an SCTE•ISBE Standards Program member—are available at www.scte.org/standards or by e-mailing standards@scte.org.
