THE ROLE OF THE IEEE 2030.5 INTEROPERABILITY STANDARD IN DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES INTEGRATION

This White Paper explores the IEEE 2030.5 communication protocol and its vital role in integrating distributed energy resources (DERs) into the energy sector. The need for IEEE 2030.5 arises from the increasing penetration of DERs, decarbonization goals, smart grid development, energy storage, electrification of transport and heat sectors, and consumer participation. Key capabilities of IEEE 2030.5 include secure and robust communication between DER devices and energy service providers, hierarchical control, interoperability, security, and scalability. The protocol has been adopted in several global markets, including the USA, Australia, and the EU, with regulatory frameworks mandating its use for DER communication and grid connection compliance. The InterSTORE project has developed an enhanced version of IEEE 2030.5, featuring communication over the NATS messaging system and support for JSON formats, improving real-time data exchange and many-to-many integration of devices and systems. The project tested these advancements in seven use cases, demonstrating the protocol's capabilities in flexibility monetization, energy communities, grid-supporting BESS, hybrid storage performance, and EV charging clusters.