This paper acknowledges the great improvements that have taken place in lightning location systems, and in power system monitoring data, over the past 20 years or more. However, it suggests that there may be even more refinement possible if these two disparate data systems are brought together at the sensor data level rather than simply comparing the independent system results. It also covers a brief history of open source software (OSS) and discusses the advantages that OSS provides.

1. ILDC/ILMC Tucson, Arizona
March 18-21, 2014
Closing the Gap –
Using Open Source Software to Make the Connection
Between Lightning and Power System Data
Fred Elmendorf – Grid Protection Alliance
Presented by Theo Laughner - TVA

2. Topics
• Purpose of the paper
• Brief History of Open Source Software (OSS)
• Some OSS Power System Tools
• Opportunities for Data Integration
• Closing the Gap

3. Purpose
• To stimulate new ideas for better lightning/power
system tools
• Provide a background on open source software (OSS)
• Give examples of existing OSS power system tools
• Suggest ways to close the gap between lightning and
power system data

4. Better Tools(1)
• Setting the stage:
– Existing lightning and power system processes and
applications have developed independently, then their
products are correlated
– Each respective environment has continuous
improvement, but independent goals
– ROI for continued independent refinement is
decreasing
– Relatively small gains in better information would
produce high value in operating the power system

5. Better Tools (2)
• Setting the bar:
– Concise comprehensive databases and reports
containing information from lightning and power
system data sources could greatly improve power
system operations and maintenance processes
– Example report:
18 March 2014 UTC:03:46:27.187635 Lat:35.04569298015 Lon: 85.26725297677 kA: 38.4
System Impact: This stroke attached to a 62 ft. oak tree 2.4 miles from the nearest
power system asset. Interaction with the power system did not exceed effective
operating limits and initiated no associated fault.
18 Mar 2014 UTC:03:46:27.213267 Lat:35.04568076326 Lon: 85.26725483724 kA:7.9
System Impact: This stroke attached to the A-phase conductor mid-span between
structures #264 and #265. A cracked insulator at structure #267 allowed a flashover to
the insulator attachment causing a momentary A-phase to ground fault.

6. Better Tools (3)
• Setting the course:
– Independent proprietary systems for lightning and
power systems continue to improve independently,
but cannot reach the desired goals
– Correlating the output from these independent
systems provides more information but still does not
provide the necessary refinement
– OSS projects facilitate collaboration and bring ‘many
eyes’ to focus on solving the problem, while allowing
rapid development and testing not constrained by
proprietary goals

7. OSS Background (1)
Early Days
Free Software = Free Beer
OR
Free Software = Free Speech

8. OSS Background (2)
• In 1998, The Open Source Initiative (OSI) coined the term
‘open source’ as part of a marketing campaign to remove
ambiguity and convey a more positive message
• The technical definition of OSS is a continuing debate
• Practically it refers to computer programs that make the
source code available with no licensing fee
• Anyone can review, and developers can modify, enhance, or
extend within the constraints of the specific OSS license
• Department of Defense requires that OSS be considered equal
to, or even preferentially, compared to proprietary solutions

9. Big Changes in Past 10 Years*
*These clips are taken from an infographic created by infografik.com.tr
http://visual.ly/10-years-open-source

10. Big Changes in Past 10 Years*
*These clips are taken from an infographic created by infografik.com.tr
http://visual.ly/10-years-open-source

11. Big Changes in Past 10 Years*
*These clips are taken from an infographic created by infografik.com.tr
http://visual.ly/10-years-open-source

12. OSS Power System Tools (1)
• Early power system applications were all
openly collaborated and shared
• After the advent of proprietary systems user
groups attempted to facilitate continued
collaboration
• As early as 1996 OSS projects began to form:
UWPFLOW, a research tool for power system
studies, and TEFTS for transient stability
studies

13. OSS Power System Tools (2)
• More recent OSS projects from the Electric
Power Research Institute (EPRI) include:
– OpenDSS (2009) a distribution system simulator
– Geomagnetic Induced Current (GIC) simulator for
OpenDSS (2012)
– OpenFLE (2012) an automated distance to fault
calculation tool analyzing disturbance records

14. OSS Power System Tools (3)
• OSS projects from Grid Protection Alliance
(GPA) beginning in 2010 include:
– openPDC a synchrophasor data concentrator
– SIEGate a secure information exchange gateway
– openXDA an extensible platform for creating
automated disturbance analytic systems built
around the EPRI openFLE work

15. Opportunities for Data Integration (1)
http://www.blackducksoftware.com/resources/infographics/2013-future-open-source-open-revolution

16. Opportunities for Data Integration (2)
• Current media and publications have many
references to the benefits of OSS
– Tech Crunch, Feb. 13, 2014 - “Many of today’s most successful
new companies rely on an ecosystem of standardized OSS…”
– Forbes, Feb. 4, 2014 - “…business and consumers world-wide
will ultimately benefit from the proliferation of “open source” in
the form of lower prices…”
– An industry professional, Jiles Gurp, Feb. 2014 - “Very few
companies inside or outside the software industry can afford to
do business without depending (heavily) on open source”.

17. Opportunities for Data Integration (3)
• Some advantages of OSS:
– High Quality
– Facilitates security
– Competitive features
– Lower total cost of ownership
– Stimulates innovation
– Encourages collaboration
– Reduces time to deployment

18. Closing the Gap (1)
• Lightning data has improved dramatically
• Power system data is providing better
precision and becoming ubiquitous
• Continued independent improvement is
increasingly costly
• More definitive and more timely answers are
needed to describe lightning interactions with
power systems

19. Closing the Gap (2)
• OSS provides the environment for rapid
development of new technologies
• Correlation of the output from the
independent systems is not good enough
• Linking power system data into the lightning
data processing system could facilitate new
refinement techniques for stroke data

20. Closing the Gap (3)
Summary:
– An open source approach is needed to explore
new possibilities.
– Bringing data sources together can reduce
unknowns
– An open source framework can be incrementally
extended to eventually produce the desired
comprehensive lightning reports automatically