Introduction of Legacy Protocol Converter as an Interoperability Software

IEEE International Conference on Engineering, Technology and Innovation (ICE/ITMC), pp. 1–9

Abstract

Interoperability remains a key challenge in modern energy systems, where diverse devices and platforms must communicate seamlessly to enable efficient energy management. This paper presents a Legacy Protocol Converter (LPC) as an open-source interoperability solution based on the IEEE 2030.5 standard, incorporating advanced features for enhanced adaptability. The LPC bridges legacy equipment using standard protocols such as Modbus and Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) with light-weight asynchronous communication system, Neural Autonomic Transport System (NATS). The asynchronous communication allows a large number of end-points to exchange data following IEEE 2030.5 standards, which is not practical in the traditional synchronous RESTful systems supporting IEEE 2030.5. This can significantly improve the performance and flexibility of communication. The implementation leverages Docker Compose for streamlined service coordination and facilitates the re-usability of the solutions. The LPC is designed for easy integration of distributed energy resources (DER)s with energy management system (EMS), aggregation platforms, and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing environments. The paper presents a set of implementation architectures to highlight the versatility of the LPC across multiple scenarios and mediums, including Raspberry Pi and servers, demonstrating its compatibility with batteries, heat pumps, and real-time digital simulators. The results confirm the LPC's effectiveness as a robust, scalable, and user-friendly solution for bridging legacy systems with the IEEE 2030.5 improved for monitoring and control of distributed energy resources.

Authors 9

1. Chandra Sekhar Charan Dande Aachen

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen University,Aachen,Germany

2. Elyas Rakhshani
   Affiliation as printed

   HESSTec,Valencia,Spain

3. Erdem Gümrükcü
   Affiliation as printed

   Eaton Research Labs (ERL),Aachen,Germany

4. Andrés Acosta Gil Aachen

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen University,Aachen,Germany

5. N Manuel Aachen

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen University,Aachen,Germany

6. Daniele Carta

   Forschungszentrum Jülich

   Affiliation as printed

   Forschungszentrum Jülich,Jülich,Germany

7. Alexandre Lucas

   INESC TEC

   Affiliation as printed

   InescTEC,Porto,Portugal

8. Andrea Benigni

   Forschungszentrum Jülich

   Affiliation as printed

   Forschungszentrum Jülich,Jülich,Germany

9. Antonello Monti Aachen

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen University,Aachen,Germany