Datawatt Remote telemetry units (RTUs) are vital to sustainable horticulture in the Netherlands

The Netherlands are in a energy transition, a nationwide move from fossil fuels towards renewable energy by implementing a more sustainable approach to horticulture.

Outside the boundaries

Juva, a Netherlands-based grid operator, selected Ovarro's DSG system for enhancing remote monitoring of low-voltage frequencies used by solar energy and the horticultural industry. Choosing DSG for its flexibility and deviation from standard templates, Juva highlighted real-time flexibility and an accessible Linux interface for easier problem-solving, design, implementation, and maintenance. DSG's protocol handling bolstered network security, aiding in the detection of illegal energy use. Integration with StreamWebscada further enhanced real-time process data collection and management, providing scalable, immediate access across digital devices and enabling notifications for grid anomalies.

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Sector
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Solution
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Product
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Brand
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Horticulture
The challenge

The Netherlands is undergoing an energy transition, shifting from fossil fuels to renewables in horticulture to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. With 80% of energy consumption in Westland municipality from horticulture, smart grids and Remote telemetry Units (RTUs) are crucial. The challenge lies in making the horticulture industry, historically reliant on natural gas, more sustainable. National success hinges on effective smart grid management of diverse renewable sources like wind, wave, marine, hydro, biomass, and solar. Challenges include handling the growth of photovoltaic systems, constituting 6.79% of the Netherlands' energy consumption in 2020. This shift poses challenges like measuring low- or medium-frequencies on the grid and ensuring consistent medium-voltage energy supply, especially with solar panels intermittently feeding energy back into the grid. As smart grids expand, incorporating more cables, stations, and solar-powered homes, addressing these challenges becomes increasingly crucial for a stable and sustainable energy transition. 

The solution - DSG Series

Conventional network monitoring systems are unsuitable for efficiently capturing, storing, and interpreting data in smart grids, and they come with a high cost. To address this, Ovarro has developed control technology that enables productive, energy-efficient, and secure management of smart grids with higher Quality of Service (QoS). Remote Telemetry Units (RTUs) play a critical role in capturing, storing, and interpreting data from physical assets in power generation and distribution. Ovarro's Datawatt Smart Grid (DSG) series, tailored for water, energy, and industrial markets, prioritizes flexibility and maximum security. The DSG can implement real-time protocols such as IEC104, COAP, and Modbus, with the capability to create new protocols easily through the Linux operating platform and C# programming language. It also supports programmable logic controller (PLC) programs using the latest Codesys standard based on IEC61131-3, a widely adopted industrial protocol.

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Smart grids and remote telemetry units (RTUs) will be critical if the horticulture industry is to help the Netherlands achieve carbon neutrality by 2050
Ronald Robbertsen
Remote telemetry project engineer at Ovarro
Flexibility and maximum security

Not only are conventional network monitoring systems ill-suited to the task of optimally capturing, storing and interpreting vast amounts of data in these networks, but these systems are also expensive. Smart grid operators need a new, precise and cost-effective solution that can be tuned to the requirements of unique medium-voltage energy sources.

To overcome these challenges, Ovarro has developed control technology that makes it possible to manage smart grids productively, energy-efficiently, securely and with higher levels of quality of service (QoS). An RTU can capture, store and interpret vast amounts of data from physical assets on a network. Over the years, RTUs have become a critical part of most power generation and distribution operations, and will be essential to today's and tomorrow’s smart grids.

Recognising the advantages of RTUs for smart grids, Ovarro has developed the Datawatt Smart Grid (DSG) series — designed for operation in the water, energy and industrial markets. The DSG operates under two main principles, flexibility and maximum security, to handle the unique and variable requirements typical of low- or medium-voltage networks.

Flexible characteristics of the DSG include its ability to implement a variety of protocols in real-time, including IEC104, COAP, and Modbus with other protocols available on request.

New protocols can be created easily created through the Linux operating platform and C# programming language, while programmable logic controller (PLC) programs can also be made with the latest standard from Codesys based on IEC61131-3, the standard industrial protocol for control programs used by many national and international organisations.

 

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Key Deliverables
  • Real-time flexibility to implement various protocols (IEC104, COAP, Modbus)
  • Easy creation of new protocols through the Linux
  • Prioritizes flexibility and maximum security for low- or medium-voltage networks
  • Capture, storage, and interpretation of vast amounts of data
  • StreamWebScada Integration
  • Developed for water, energy, and industrial markets