scope:

General

This part of IEC 61850 defines the IEC 61850 information models to be used in the exchange of information with distributed energy resources (DER) and Distribution Automation (DA) systems. DERs include distribution-connected generation systems, energy storage systems, and controllable loads, as well as facility DER management systems, including aggregated DER, such as plant control systems, facility DER energy management systems (EMS), building EMS, campus EMS, community EMS, microgrid EMS, etc. DA equipment includes equipment used to manage distribution circuits, including automated switches, fault indicators, capacitor banks, voltage regulators, and other power management devices.

The IEC 61850 DER information model standard utilizes existing IEC 61850-7-4 logical nodes where possible, while defining DER and DA specific logical nodes to provide the necessary data objects for DER and DA functions, including for the DER interconnection grid codes specified by various countries and regions.

Although this document explicitly addresses distribution-connected resources, most of the resource capabilities, operational functions, and architectures are also applicable to transmission-connected resources.

Published versions of this standard and related namespace name

Detailed information on backward compatibility with Edition 1 are provided in Annex C.

Data model Namespace name and version

This new subclause is mandatory for any IEC 61850 namespace (as defined by IEC 61850-7-1:2011).

Data model Namespace Code Component distribution

This document is associated with Code components. Each Code Component is a ZIP package containing at least the electronic representation of the Code Component itself and a file describing the content of the package (IECManifest.xml).

The life cycle of a code component is not restricted to the life cycle of this document. The publication life cycle goes through two stages, "Version" (corresponding to an edition) and "Revision" (corresponding to an amendment). A third publication stage (Release) allows publication of Code Component in case of urgent fixes of InterOp Tissues, thus without need to publish an amendment.

Consequently, new release(s) of the Code Component(s) may be released, which supersede(s) the previous release, and will be distributed through the IEC web site.

The latest version/release of the document will be found by selecting the file for the code component with the highest value for VersionStateInfo, e.g. IEC_61850-7-420.NSD.{VersionStateInfo}.Light.

The Code Components associated with this document are reflecting the data model specified in this document formatted in NSD files as described in IEC 61850-7-7. They are available in light and full version:

• The full version is named:

IEC_61850-7-420.NSD.2019A.Full. It contains definition of the whole data model defined in this document with the documentation associated and access is restricted to purchaser of this document.

• The light version is named:

IEC_61850-7-420.NSD.2019A.Light. It does not contain any documentation but contains the whole data model as per full version, and this light version is freely accessible on the IEC website for download.

The light version is freely accessible on the IEC website for download.

In case of any differences between the downloadable code and the IEC pdf published content, the downloadable code(s) is(are) the valid one; it may be subject to updates. See included history files.

Changes from IEC 61850-7-420:2009 (Edition 1)

This Edition 2 has added operational functions for many grid codes that have recently been identified as mandatory or necessary for specific operations. As a result, many deletions and modifications were made to LNs existing in Edition 1 since the change to defining operational functions caused many structural changes to the model. It is also expected that additional operational functions will be added as these are identified and better defined.

The new release of IEC 61850-7-420 includes all functions treated by IEC TR 61850-90-7, however with a different modelling approach.

Another change is the need to include different types of DER, in particular storage DERs (initially modelled in the IEC TR 61850-90-9 namespace, but this namespace is now deprecated.) and eventually controllable loads that can act as DERs.

In addition, the models for DERs needed to extend various modelling concepts since DERs are typically complex systems which are often aggregated and controlled locally by power management systems. These new concepts are discussed in more detail in Clause 3.

As a result, the Logical Nodes associated with DER plants and other higher level DER structures have been significantly altered. However, the Logical Nodes associated with individual types of DER, such as reciprocating engines, photovoltaic systems, fuel cells, and combined heat and power, have not been significantly modified.

IEC 61850-7-420 versus IEC 61850-7-520

In this document, Clause 1 covers the concepts and constructs for managing DERs that are needed to understand the IEC 61850 DER information model structure and methods. Subclause 4.3.1 and Clause 6 cover discussions of the DER resource components and the DER operational functions, while Annex A includes all of the detailed models for these two clauses. The remaining annexes cover additional modelling issues, modelling examples, a list of potential additional operational functions, and a bibliography.

The companion document, IEC 61850-7-520, will be updated to Edition 2 and will include additional supportive information such as use cases, system configuration language constructs for DER, example methods for implementing logical devices, various profiles of IEC 61850 data objects, and other implementation support.

Terminology due to historical usage of terms

Two types of terms used in this document have the same meaning but are derived from different types of DER for historical reasons.

• Generation and discharging

• Consuming and charging

In general, "generation" is associated with DER that supply energy e.g. a PV device, while "consuming" is generally associated with DER that use energy, e.g. loads. Storage devices both generate and consume energy, but the terms discharging and charging are usually used for historical reasons. Rather than trying to change the usage of these terms, this document attempts to recognize these differences in historical understanding, while still noting that the terms have the same meanings.