ODVA collaborates to manage industrial energy data

ODVA members, including Cisco Systems, Rockwell Automation and Schneider Electric, collaborate to optimize energy usage for the industrial consumer, the network organization said Feb. 7. See diagram.

February 7, 2011

ODVA launched a new energy initiative, in cooperation with major suppliers including Cisco Systems, Rockwell Automation and Schneider Electric, to transform the industrial energy resource allocation model.

The goal of ODVA’s energy initiative is to develop a comprehensive approach to the optimization of energy usage for the industrial consumer that is scalable, open and inclusive for both users and suppliers. ODVA’s energy approach will simplify the ability to understand energy consumption and enable control methodologies to optimize energy usage throughout the industrial ecosystem from the plantfloor to the grid. Although understanding energy consumption is critical to truly optimizing plantwide operations, production planners have not had all the necessary tools. ODVA seeks to change this situation by fostering best practices in energy resource allocation, including visibility of energy data throughout the layers of the production information systems, the organization noted. (See more about network energy management below.)

“The starting point for ODVA’s energy initiative is to ensure that energy data can be seen throughout the production domain in order to empower industrial consumers with the energy information they need to solve their energy consumption and efficiency problems in a holistic manner,” said Katherine Voss, executive director, ODVA.

ODVA’s energy initiative is the result of a lengthy investigation by ODVA and its leadership into the energy needs of industry, combined with the strong interest by ODVA members to support the sustainability objectives of manufacturers. It is a natural expansion of ODVA’s application coverage for industrial automation, and ODVA expects broad participation and support by many of its members.

Randall Selesky, vice president of Power and Energy from Rockwell Automation, a principal and founding member of ODVA, said "Rockwell Automation strongly supports ODVA’s focus on energy. We believe the initiative will accelerate industry’s opportunity to successfully implement innovations in energy control and management and, as a result, boost profitability and promote responsible energy usage.”  Chet Namboodri, global director of Manufacturing Industry Solutions and Marketing for Cisco Systems, another principal member of ODVA, added, “The addition of energy to ODVA’s automation portfolio dovetails perfectly with Cisco’s Industrial Automation market initiative and industrial intelligence solutions, which enable businesses to improve productivity, process and profits while enhancing sustainability to benefit people and the environment through better utilization of resources.”  Fred Cohn, director of Network Strategy for Industry Business at Schneider Electric, another principal member of ODVA concluded, “Schneider Electric supports active energy efficiency by enabling customers to optimize energy use with monitoring and control. We believe that our solution for industrial consumers will be enhanced by ODVA’s efforts to broaden EtherNet/IP to provide energy awareness and improved management capabilities.”

As the first action in its Energy initiative, ODVA has formed a special interest group (SIG) to develop specification enhancements for energy applications utilizing the Common Industrial Protocol. The work of the SIG will focus on developing energy parameters, objects and services for energy optimization. Initial enhancements of the ODVA specifications are expected to be available in 2012.

ODVA will present an overview of its vision for optimization of energy usage for the industrial consumer at its 2011 Industry Conference and 14th Annual meeting, to be held March 1-3, 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, visit www.odva.org. About ODVA: Founded in 1995, ODVA is a global association whose members are comprised of the world’s leading automation companies. ODVA said its mission is to advance open, interoperable information and communication technologies in industrial automation. ODVA recognizes its media independent network protocol, the Common Industrial Protocol or “CIP” – and the network adaptations of CIP – EtherNet/IP, DeviceNet, CompoNet and ControlNet – as its core technology and the primary common interest of its membership.

https://www.controleng.com/new-products/industrial-networks/single-article/odva-forms-rail-transport-special-interest-group/dde8658e9c.html

Profinet offers extension, PROFIenergy

At least one other network organization also is working to quantify and conserve energy as a component of manufacturing. In June 2010, at the Siemens Automation Summit, a Profinet industrial Ethernet protocol extension was among topics discussed. PROFIenergy network extension helps monitor and control energy use by putting unused loads in sleep mode. Because industrial equipment can consume up to 60% of the energy during idle periods as it does during production, a lower-power standby mode is desirable. A prior Control Engineering news story noted: "The PROFIenergy extension triggers standby, power down and wake up from a central location. Working with Siemens, Mercedes Benz piloted PROFIenergy technology, reducing energy costs during non-productive periods (such as nights and weekends) by 75%." 

https://www.controleng.com/new-products/industrial-networks.html