Secure data transmission: the key to unlocking Utilities’ operational success?

It’s a challenging time to be a Utility provider. Where once there was predictability, there is now uncertainty.

Consider the climate: temperatures are rising, which places greater strain on the grid as people seek to cool their homes and premises down. Further, extreme weather events are increasing, impacting power lines and towers, and the communication networks that help Utility companies find and identify the issue.

There’s also the growing threat around cyber security. In fact, 44% of respondents to our recent survey of US homeowners said that they considered hackers to present a threat to their Utilities supply.

Related to this is the challenge of ageing infrastructure. With the retirement of 2G and 3G networks impacting telemetry and control, Utilities providers need to explore new means of securely collecting data for their SCADA systems.

Ultimately, all three challenges pivot around reliable and secure data collection.

Data is the key to operational success in Utilities

The key to operational success in Utilities is to collect accurate, real-time data from infrastructure and assets, at every point in the supply chain – from networks to plants, treatment environments to customers.

Armed with better data, utilities companies can more effectively model the impact of extreme weather events, and plan accordingly. They can measure wind speeds and water levels at wind farms and hydro-electric facilities in real-time, knowing when the conditions are right to increase renewable energy production. They can determine when remote facilities are working optimally, and when they are not, and in some instances, they can even resolve the problem through remote commands, without having to send an engineer onsite.

However, the number and severity of cyber threats to utility companies continues to grow exponentially as the world becomes increasingly connected. According to research firm Gartner, in 2020, there were 20.4 billion internet-connected devices, with approximately 37 percent of these being used outside consumer settings—including large numbers dedicated to infrastructure monitoring and control.

What cyber security threats are utility and renewable companies facing?

Powering Tomorrow: Challenges and Opportunities in Utilities

Industrial IoT in the time of COVID-19

First, Damian Lewis from Inmarsat revealed the findings from a recent research project into “Industrial IoT in the time of COVID-19“. In Electrical Utilities, Inmarsat discovered that IoT projects represented the highest proportion of overall IT budgets. When executed, IoT projects were delivering a 30% cost saving over a five year period.

But connectivity was plaguing these projects. 75% of the electrical utilities companies surveyed encountered connectivity problems, and 59% of respondents stated that terrestrial networks like fibre and cellular are not entirely suitable for their needs. Despite this, only 32% are using satellite connectivity – far below the survey average of 47%.

Unpredictability is the new normal

Christian Strarup from Cobham Satcom looked at the challenges Utilities companies face, with more and longer outages due to extreme weather. There is also governmental pressure to fix the issue without raising costs for consumers. Christian’s slides include a list of considerations Utilities companies need to make in order to shore up their infrastructure, and ensure that they can continue to deliver services under increasingly unpredictable weather conditions.

You can download Cobham Satcom’s eBook which goes into more detail on these topics here.

Weathering the storm – case studies

Liz Wilson from Ground Control looked at three examples from the Utilities and Renewables sectors, where companies have already started to respond to these challenges. In the first case study, we hear about a critical gas pipe which needs reliable sensor data in order to operate safely, and utilises satellite connectivity for reliability and security.

The second case study sees renewable energy company RWE using real-time data on water levels and precipitation to know when to increase the amount of energy they can supply to the grid. Because their reservoirs are out of terrestrial connectivity range, they’re leveraging satellite in a clever and cost effective way to extract the data.

Finally a community windfarm in the Shetland Islands who’ve anticipated that extreme weather *will* impact their infrastructure, and taken proactive steps to minimise the damage.

PSTN end of life – case study and impacts

Finally, Nigel Garnham from Atos looks at how British Utilities companies are responding to the switch off of the PSTN network, exploring a range of connectivity options. Ageing infrastructure impacts many Utilities companies worldwide, and the technologies that Nigel advocates you should investigate to future-proof your infrastructure are widely applicable.

We hope you enjoy the webinar!

Selecting The Right Solution Ready For The PSTN Switch Off

Why is a satellite solution needed?

For years, PSTN lines have facilitated many remote data collection applications. On December 31 2025, in the UK, these lines will be switched off, as BT Openreach focuses on developing its fibre network, which delivers IP telephony – the “new” means by which data will be transferred. And this pattern is being repeated across the developed world. However, it will be many years before fiber finds its way to remote locations – if indeed it ever does – and it’s cost-prohibitive for most companies to fund this privately. While cellular connectivity provides a viable alternative, some sites are so remote that there is no cellular coverage.

Satellite connectivity is the clear choice in this scenario, allowing organizations to securely extend IT infrastructure to every remote corner of their operations, create complete visibility of assets and allow process control. Satellite-based technology also offers cyber-secure scalable communications.

Not all satellite services are the same. Indeed, the diversification of satellite services has made this option much more flexible and cost-effective than it was several years ago. By understanding the application, the frequency of transmission, and volume of data, you can ensure the best communications solution fit.

We’re exploring the two most popular options for satellite connectivity in the context of the PSTN switch off, to help you choose the best solution for your needs.

Viasat IoT Pro

Viasat, who own and operate a network of geostationary satellites and ground stations, provide IoT Pro – previously known as the Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN M2M) service. With full IP connectivity, and as it’s a lower bandwidth M2M service, it’s a good fit for the types of applications currently served by PSTN lines.

Designed as a low data volume service for monitoring process control type applications such as SCADA, monthly data plans start at 2MB per month, going up to 50MB per month and beyond. By scrutinizing how the application is generating data, and the structure and format of the files, it is possible to reduce data volumes. Inmarsat use data compression to reduce data volumes to one-third of the cellular volume used for the same application.

Top four benefits of IoT Pro (BGAN M2M) as a PSTN replacement solution:

• Terminals are less than 30cm by 30cm – much smaller in size than traditional satellite dishes and consume far less power.
• Terminals are designed to be externally mounted giving zero-footprint inside a communications cabinet.
• Low power requirements enhance the appeal of BGAN for sites with power constraints.
• Some devices have the option of a bolt-on cellular module, which allows them to use LTE in addition to satellite.

Terminals designed to use the IoT Pro service are produced by several manufacturers and Ground Control supplies various options; the Cobham Explorer 540 is a particularly popular M2M device.

Iridium Certus 100

Iridium Certus 100 is a relatively new mid-band service that sits between Iridium’s Short Burst Data service, and its high throughput Certus 700 service. It is designed for applications that require small weight, size and power requirements. Ground Control is one of a very small number of manufacturers worldwide licensed to use the Certus 100 network, and the result is our RockREMOTE series of terminal. RockREMOTE also has a full Linux OS, and storage allowing edge computing-based processing, future-proofing the device and enabling more cost-effective data packet transmissions.

Top five benefits of RockREMOTE as a PSTN replacement solution:

• Iridium Certus-connected enabling data anywhere with an easy to deploy omni antenna
• Integrated LTE capability offering a turnkey solution for critical infrastructure
• Serial to IP forwarding allowing for simple integration with control systems
• Comprehensive power management (9v-32v) including toggling via a Power IO input
• Robust, designed for industrial use with standard DIN rail mounting.

Making the right choice for you

In many respects, the RockREMOTE and Cobham Explorer 540 perform similarly. Both offer dual satellite / LTE connectivity, to help you balance costs with service availability. Both have very low power requirements so they can run on battery and solar power. Both are small and easy to install, and have expected lifespans of 10-15 years. The latency for the Explorer is approx. 2 seconds, and the RockREMOTE is 1 second – both are perfectly adequate for industrial IoT applications (the difference between the distance between the satellite and the earth – here’s more about how satellite orbit heights affect communication).

The Explorer – using the Inmarsat satellite network – connects to a single geostationary satellite, and, once established, the connection is very stable. However, the Explorer must be able to ‘see’ the satellite, which can make it unsuitable for hilly or wooded areas. The RockREMOTE connects to the Iridium constellation of 66 satellites, which are constantly passing overhead; this means that the antenna can point in any direction and still be picked up by a satellite. That’s a key advantage if your remote site is in a valley or surrounded by trees.

The Explorer is a single unit with both antenna and transceiver in the same casing, which is great for ease of deployment; it does present a slight security risk in the respect that if it were stolen or vandalized, the entire unit is compromised. The RockREMOTE is a two piece design with the transceiver designed to be situated in your facility. The antenna is small and discreet, making this design less vulnerable.

RockREMOTE benefits from frequent firmware updates, and the Linux kernel processor and SD storage create endless opportunities for edge processing of data including MQTT, and local applications for 2025 and beyond.

If you need any further help, that’s what we’re here for. Please contact us and we’ll be happy to provide impartial advice on the best satellite PSTN replacement for you.

Selecting Remote Locations for the Renewables Industry

Renewable energy sources tend to be in remote or hostile locations. Any land-based installation has to deal with the planning process and meet the inevitable objections from local residents and countryside campaigners. This is one of the reasons why land-based wind farms tend to be situated in isolated spots, on hilltops and moors away from settlements and livestock.

Secondly, remote locations are simply better natural environments to generate renewable energy. Wind farms are sited offshore or on remote hilltops because that’s where they’re most efficient – where the wind is strongest. Similarly, solar energy is more accessible in higher, more remote locations where people choose not to settle and tidal power has to be harvested out at sea.

“Customers rarely know exactly what they’re being billed for or what to expect and this makes it impossible to set – and keep to – precise budgets.”

Moreover, there are significant billing and administrative shortcomings with traditional cellular solutions. Most carriers have different models for billing (fixed price, minimum quantity, per kilobyte of data etc) and this tends to be reflected in the complicated billing structure of most cellular services. Customers rarely know exactly what they’re being billed for or what to expect and this makes it impossible to set – and keep to – precise budgets.

A Track Record of Success in Renewables

Ground Control provides a simple, cost-effective solution to the problem of retrieving assessment and monitoring data. Unlike other M2M solutions, Ground Control provides the flexibility for engineers to design the service that suits them best. This might mean regular ‘heartbeat’ signals or time stamps to confirm the condition of specific instruments. It might mean a series of alarms or triggers configured to meet specific thresholds. Or it might mean a complex combination of variables. Whatever the precise solution required, Ground Control’s services can be configured to deliver exactly the data that’s needed in the most cost-effective way.

Ground Control provides the most comprehensive coverage available from any M2M cellular service. With multiple partners in more than 160 countries, Ground Control’s service gives customers an unrivalled choice of carrier partners and the security of knowing that if their chosen service fails, a fall-back can be configured with an alternative carrier. This failsafe service can be a crucial factor in important infrastructure projects.

The Rise and Rise of Renewables

Unsurprisingly, we’re now also seeing an increase in the creation of more large-scale photovoltaic (PV) farms, as big players such as Google and Apple compete for the ‘renewable energy crown’. Facebook and Amazon have committed to using 100% renewable energy by 2020. As such, development is now focused on much larger PV schemes to help companies meet their sustainability targets.

The Winds of Change

The Wireless Innovation (now trading as Ground Control) team have supplied satellite and cellular communications to the renewable energy market for many years for wind and solar resource assessment campaigns, array monitoring, and SCADA data.

As wireless communications supplier to the four leading global data logging and data acquisition companies, our clients rely on us to provide the wireless backhaul for their sophisticated measurement campaigns with bespoke cellular, satellite, and hybrid solutions. Once a potential site is identified and an initial desktop survey determines that the site is viable, we supply the communications for the measurement campaign that determines the exact resources available.

We currently deploy communications equipment and airtime to renewable energy sites in over 100 countries, on more than 3,000 sites. Our biggest market is the USA, followed by Europe and the UK, and we’re seeing strong growth in emerging markets like South America. Whereas previously we’ve undertaken a fairly even balance of wind and solar projects, offshore wind projects are increasing significantly, particularly in the UK, as it takes the global lead in this area.

Offshore Renewables Projects

Offshore wind is already a UK success story. We’ve installed more capacity than any other country and offshore wind farms are becoming the backbone of the UK’s energy network. The long-awaited UK Offshore Wind Sector Deal, announced by the government on March 7 2019, is a game-changer for the UK and will see offshore wind go from strength to strength and, in the foreseeable future, dominate the clean-energy landscape.

When operating far offshore, beyond cellular reception and before any fiber optic cables are laid or available, the only way to reliably and securely communicate back to shore is via satellite. As we’re not tied to any particular network, we can create tailored, end-to-end solutions with a robust and secure communication infrastructure, to cover all offshore requirements for both data and voice. For mission-critical data, which often includes SCADA, we use a totally private and secure satellite network service called TSAT, or SCADASat. Wireless Innovation (now trading as Ground Control) is TSAT’s exclusive partner in the UK, so this ‘bullet-proof’ communication channel is available only to our clients.

Any Way the Wind Blows

When measuring the commercial viability of wind plants, clients usually require a minimum of 12 months of measurements for a serious large-scale project, with continuous measurements throughout that period. This gives our clients a good representation of the wind speed and directions over the entire year, as it varies greatly from season to season. Further monitoring is needed when a site passes the energy yield assessment and once the Wind Turbines have been installed. Once the plant has been constructed, key components still need to be measured around the clock in order to ensure that a wind farm is operating at maximum efficiency.

The Future of Renewables Data

Climate change concerns and global pressure to reduce CO2 emissions continue to drive an enormous shift towards renewable energy production. We’re seeing a huge increase in the number of companies seeking more innovative, secure, and cost-effective solutions to overcome the challenges of wireless backhaul for renewable source monitoring. It’s an exciting time to be working in renewables data.

Projects are varied from creating solutions for wind power ramp events, energy storage, integrating distributed data systems and assessment data in remote locations to providing a satellite failover for continuity in the event of natural disasters. Our work is not only having a positive impact in our clients’ businesses, it’s also contributing to global efforts to protect the environment.