Since the assembly of experienced PQ engineers to form PBE in 2012, our expert engineers have been engaged in domestic and international standards development organizations (SDO) most of their PQ career. Each PBE engineer has either had previous experience in the development of power systems- or PQ-related standards before joining PBE or has participated in the development of standards by presenting technical results of PBE research and engineering work or by engaging in a leadership role to develop or serve as a contributor to a new standard or the revision of an existing one.
PBE’s Extensive Experience in PQ Standards
PBE has extensive experiences in domestic and international PQ standards and PQ-related product standards.
PBE engineers have participated in the following IEEE standards:
PBE formerly represented the United States of America as a Technical Expert in two subcommittees of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC):
PBE has held leadership positions and presented and taught basic and advanced workshops in dozens of US and international power system and PQ-related conferences.
Today, PBE engineers use, apply & teach IEEE and IEC standards regarding PQ phenomena, analytical methods, data formats and equipment performance. The penetration of professional PQ software products and engineering services into US and international utility, manufacturing, government and educational PQ markets has impacted the design and grid operation of utility power systems, the management and analysis of PQ data, and the testing and performance of domestic and international end-use electrical and electronic products.
Active involvement in standards making efforts on the part of IEEE, IEC, UIE, CIGRE, and CIRED has impacted the stability and performance of utility power systems, customer power systems and power quality for utilities and their customers.
Advanced power quality emissions and power quality immunity testing techniques are derived from decades of characterizing utility grids, customer grids and facility electrical systems used in residential, commercial and industrial electrical environments. IEEE, ANSI, NEMA and other industry standards were developed for electrical and electronic equipment as a direct result of advanced PQ testing achieved by engineers now with PBE. Product designs in many electronic equipment areas have also been improved with assistance from PBE and/or data captured by PBE which was presented to SDOs including international organizations (e.g., IEC, CISPR, etc.) for which PBE expert engineers have participated in.
Impacts resulted from PBE’s focus on the development of the first harmonic control standard resulting from the increased use of energy-efficient power electronic-based technologies such as computer power supplies, adjustable-speed drives (ASDs) (also known as variable frequency drives (VFDs) and other electronic loads, along with stricter harmonic measurement procedures and limits.
Other impacts result from PBE’s abilities to provide a range of technical evaluations, based on standards we helped develop, required to address a number of key PQ issues, including: power flow calculations, harmonic analysis, transient and steady state stability analysis, flicker analysis and the control of radiated and conducted emissions below, including and above frequency ranges promulgated by IEEE, IEC and CISPR standards. PBE’s involvement in these SDOs has provided key technical information and structure during the development of each power system and PQ standard promulgated by these organizations.
PBE is also well-versed in recent system models defined in NERC Reliability Standards and similar international standards from the point when PQ and reliability of the nation’s grid intersected prior to the development of Internet data centers (IDCs) and e-Business sectors. PBE Engineers has been instrumental in shaping the standards that IDCs and other Internet-related infrastructures now rely on to operate high-reliability “data warehouses”.
As distributed generation (DG) and renewable energy sources took root, PBE Engineers utilized in experience in solving power systems and PQ issues regarding these technologies to provide key contributions to the IEEE 5147 standards. Renowned for our work in power systems and PQ engineering, PBE’s Engineers performance of extensive research for major utility research organizations (e.g., Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)) and other organizations was the catalyst for upgrading existing standards and developing new ones. PBE Engineers has extensive experience with interconnection of distributed generation (DG), and has worked with many utilities, research organizations, and standards-making bodies on interconnection issues. Our employees have been instrumental in the development of domestic and international power quality standards and guidelines under IEEE’s 1547 series of standards for interconnection of renewable and distributed generation assets to the main power grid. Customers who ask the question: “Is my wind farm compliance with the expanding IEEE 1547 family of standards regarding islanding, control, power quality, monitoring and the control of generated radiated and conducted emissions to avoid EMI problems with nearby customers and their electronic equipment?” will get the answers they need, because of PBE’s Engineers key role in the development of the first IEEE 1547 standards and other standards in the IEEE 1547 family.
PBE Engineers also provides training on power systems and PQ standards:
For more information regarding domestic and international standards and how you can get involved in the standards-making process, please contact PBE Engineers Concepts for the appropriate contact information for the SDO of interest. PBE Engineers is an active promoter of participation from industry in the development of key standards that affect all areas of power systems and PQ engineering.
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