How To Send Energy Data To The Cloud - LinkedIn

08/11/2023, 22:01 How to send energy data to the cloud?
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How to send energy

data to the cloud?
Maciej Gasienica
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Sales Director w JPEmbedded
November 8, 2023
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08/11/2023, 22:01 How to send energy data to the cloud? | LinkedIn
The energy industry generates petabytes of data every

day, but much of it goes unused. In recent years, utilities
and companies have been harnessing these resources,
leading to improved grid efficiency, enhanced energy
management, better integration of renewable sources,
and the stimulation of innovation in energy services and
customer experiences. Simultaneously, the dynamic
development of cloud solutions, related applications, and
artificial intelligence provides all the necessary tools to
fully exploit this information. However, to make use of it,
the data must first be uploaded to a local server or the
cloud. The following article discusses these aspects and
describes, based on the example of the Apis device and
the Google Cloud Platform (GCP), how to establish
a secure connection and transfer information from the
energy infrastructure to the cloud.
JPEmbedded become an official partner of

Google Cloud Platform
On March 23, 2023, JPEmbedded became an official partner

of the Google Cloud Platform (GCP). It all started with our
meeting with representatives of Google Cloud in the

autumn of 2022 when it turned out that our offers
complement each other, and by combining our
competencies, we can provide customers with
comprehensive solutions.
How can customers benefit from the JPEmbedded and

Google partnership?
JPEmbedded possesses extensive expertise in utilizing

communication protocols (like IEC 61850, DNP3, IEC 60870-
5, Profinet, Ethernet/IP...) in the energy and industrial
sectors. Additionally, the company also supplies protocol
converters and data collection devices. Thanks to these
products and the support of JPEmbedded engineers,
customers can seamlessly implement solutions for
gathering and delivering specific process details to the
Google Cloud.
It’s important to emphasize that information doesn't need

to reside within a single point of access. Instead, it can be
dispersed across diverse locations and accessed through
several types of devices, each necessitating the utilization
of different communication protocols (such as DNP3, IEC

61850, Modbus, or MQTT).
When data originating from energy or industrial systems is

being fetched to platforms such as BigQuery, analysis and
business intelligence tools play a crucial role in supporting
customers in organizing and extracting insights from their
data collections. Examples of these can include 'Connected
Sheet' or 'Looker', which are part of the Google Cloud
platform.
Considering the experience of both sides, the cooperation

between JPEmbedded and Google opens almost unlimited
possibilities for collecting distributed data and analyzing
them using advanced analytical applications in the cloud.
Connecting the OT systems in smart energy

grids with Google Cloud Platform
One of the main ideas of our cooperation with Google is to

provide customers with a solution that connects
Operational Technology (OT) systems in smart energy grids
with the Google Cloud Platform. OT systems include
industrial control systems (ICS), such as supervisory control
and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, distributed energy

resources (DER), remote terminal units (RTU), and
programmable logic controllers (PLC), as well as dedicated
networks and organization units. The Internet of Things
(IoT) and Embedded Systems used widely in energy
applications are also included in the sphere of operational
technology (e.g., smart instrumentation), along with a large
subset of scientific data acquisition, control, and
computational equipment.
All the devices mentioned above generate large amounts of

information that can be successfully processed after being
sent to GCP. One of the simplest and seamless solutions
that allows to connect OT systems in the power industry
with the Google Cloud is to use the Apis Box electronic
module, the operation of which will be outlined in the
following paragraphs.
Apis Box – gateway to the Google Cloud

Platform
Any device (e.g., an energy meter or a merging unit)

utilizing protocols like DNP3 and IEC 61850, can be
seamlessly communicated with the Google Cloud Platform

through Apis Box – an independent gateway that supports
the most popular communication protocols used in smart
energy and other areas. It is based on the STM32F7
processor from ST, meets industrial-grade requirements,
and can be easily integrated into existing power industry
installations. Depending on the configuration, Apis Box can
collect data from one or more sources. The device uses
JPEmbedded’s Smart Grid protocol implementations, and
it can work as either a master or client in communication
with other Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs) operating
within the power grid. The device can collect information
from them and send it to GCP. Apis Box communicates with
the platform through the Pub/Sub Rest API.
Please note, that the Apis Box acts as a bridge, ensuring

compatibility between the diverse protocols and enabling a
hassle-free connection between the hardware and the
cloud environment.
APIS BOX protocol converter
One of the key functionalities supported by Apis Box is the

conversion of energy protocols (such as DNP3, IEC 61850,
IEC 60870-5, MQTT, Modbus) into the Pub/Sub format
supported by the Google Cloud Platform. The gateway
features specialized software that implements individual
protocols and performs data conversions between them
based on the provided mapping file. To define mappings
and configure the device, a dedicated Drosera application is
used. This desktop tool offers an intuitive user interface for
configuration and mappings, as well as for setup of access
tokens required by OAuth 2.0 protocol.
It also allows to upload of a configuration file to the Apis

Box.
Drosera application. User friendly interface allows integrator to map data to Pub/Sub
Smart Grid to Google Cloud Platform. Possible

integration scenarios.
Apis Box can operate in various scenarios. The main one

includes one-to-one conversion, for example, when a user
wants to connect DNP3 server device to the GCP. For some
protocols the gateway can also operate as 'many to the
cloud'. In such setup it aggregates data from several
sources and sends them to GCP. Picture below depicts
possible configurations.
Integration scenarios
Authentication and streaming steps.
How to setup the Apis Box device and its communication

with the cloud? Let's follow the example procedure for a
device that performs measurements and collects data,
analog values (e.g., voltage, current, temperature), binary
inputs etc. and communicates using the DNP3 protocol.
1. The user configures Pub/Sub and BigQuery services on

Google Cloud Platform.
2. In the Drosera application, the user, defines connection

with Outstation and mapping of the relevant data
between DNP3 and Pub/Sub.
3. The user uploads the configuration file to Apis Box.
4. The user connects Apis Box to the network and to the

DNP3 Outstation.
5. Apis Box establishes a connection with the cloud,

authenticates itself using the OAuth 2.0 protocol, and
obtains an access token.
6. When communication is established, Apis Box

continuously reads data from the device and sends it
via Pub/Sub to the cloud.
The information is stored in one of the databases (e.g.,

BigQuery) in the GCP. The diagram below illustrates the
entire process for any protocol.
Setup, configuration and authentication.
What about the cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is crucial for communication in smart energy

grids. They are highly interconnected and reliant on digital
communication technologies to manage and optimize
electricity generation, distribution, and consumption. The
integration of various smart devices, sensors, and
communication networks increases the attack surface for
potential cyber threats.
In the case of sending energy data to the cloud, its privacy

and confidentiality is critical. Smart energy grids collect and
exchange large amounts of sensitive information, including
consumption patterns, user behaviour, and energy flow
details. Robust cybersecurity measures are necessary to
protect these sources from unauthorized access and
potential privacy breaches.
The challenges mentioned above have been addressed

within the Apis Box software as well. To establish a secure
connection to the cloud, the OAuth 2.0 protocol, which is
recommended by GCP, is utilized. OAuth, an abbreviation
for 'Open Authorization,' is an open-standard framework
designed for secure and delegated access to resources on
behalf of a user.
Thanks to this protocol, Apis Box is authenticated and

authorized, and receives a dedicated token for accessing
Pub/Sub services. This token defines a set of granted access
scopes, which, when sent to the cloud API, allows access to
specific resources. Important fact is that with OAuth,
applications can access specific resources without needing
knowledge of the user's login credentials, thereby

enhancing both security and user privacy.
Pub/Sub encrypts messages with Google-managed keys by

default. There is no setup or additional configuration
required. Thus, the use of Apis Box to collect data from
processes in the energy industry is safe and compliant with
the solutions recommended by the Google Cloud Platform.
Summary
As we have presented in this article, there are opportunities

and tools available to streamline the transfer of information
from industrial devices to the cloud. Furthermore, thanks to
the utilization of encryption protocols, this process can be
carried out in a completely secure manner.
What's next? As Hilary Mason, a founder of Fast Forward

Labs, once said: 'The core advantage of data is that it tells
you something about the world that you didn't know
before.' So, let's embark on a journey to explore the world
of energy with cloud-based data and utilize it to make
electricity greener, more efficient, cost-effective, and our

infrastructure more reliable.
If you have any ideas for the cooperation or would like to

learn more about our 'energy to cloud' gateway or other
JPEmbedded solutions related to GCP, please contact us at:
mgasienica@jpembedded.eu.
This article first appeared on the JPEmbedded’s website.
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Published by
Maciej Gasienica
Sales Director w JPEmbedded 2 articles Follow
Published • 14h
I want to reach out and share an article that I recently published, titled "How to send
energy data to the cloud?" In this piece prepared by myself and our Marketing
Director Karolina Sekuła-Matyasik, we delve deep into the topic of transferring data
generated by energy networks infrastructure devices to the cloud. The solution
presented in the article is based on our experience with communication protocols
(such as IEC 61850, DNP3), cybersecurity, and our cooperation with the Google Cloud
Platform. We invite you to take a few minutes to read the article. Feel free to share
your thoughts and opinions in the comments section. #cloud #gcpcloud #iec61850
#dnp3 #protocolconverter #smartgrid #smartgrids #gridtocloud #pubsub #mqtt
#googlecloudpartner #STPartnerProgram
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08/11/2023, 22:01 How to send energy data to the cloud?

Try Premium for

How to send energy

Open Immersive Reader

The energy industry generates petabytes of data every

JPEmbedded become an official partner of

On March 23, 2023, JPEmbedded became an official partner

meeting with representatives of Google Cloud in the

How can customers benefit from the JPEmbedded and

JPEmbedded possesses extensive expertise in utilizing

It’s important to emphasize that information doesn't need

of different communication protocols (such as DNP3, IEC

When data originating from energy or industrial systems is

Considering the experience of both sides, the cooperation

Connecting the OT systems in smart energy

One of the main ideas of our cooperation with Google is to

and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, distributed energy

All the devices mentioned above generate large amounts of

Apis Box – gateway to the Google Cloud

Any device (e.g., an energy meter or a merging unit)

seamlessly communicated with the Google Cloud Platform

Please note, that the Apis Box acts as a bridge, ensuring

APIS BOX protocol converter

One of the key functionalities supported by Apis Box is the

It also allows to upload of a configuration file to the Apis

Smart Grid to Google Cloud Platform. Possible

Apis Box can operate in various scenarios. The main one

Authentication and streaming steps.

How to setup the Apis Box device and its communication

1. The user configures Pub/Sub and BigQuery services on

2. In the Drosera application, the user, defines connection

3. The user uploads the configuration file to Apis Box.

4. The user connects Apis Box to the network and to the

5. Apis Box establishes a connection with the cloud,

6. When communication is established, Apis Box

The information is stored in one of the databases (e.g.,

Setup, configuration and authentication.

What about the cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is crucial for communication in smart energy

In the case of sending energy data to the cloud, its privacy

The challenges mentioned above have been addressed

Thanks to this protocol, Apis Box is authenticated and

knowledge of the user's login credentials, thereby

Pub/Sub encrypts messages with Google-managed keys by

As we have presented in this article, there are opportunities

What's next? As Hilary Mason, a founder of Fast Forward

electricity greener, more efficient, cost-effective, and our

If you have any ideas for the cooperation or would like to

This article first appeared on the JPEmbedded’s website.

Like Comment Share 7

More from Maciej Gasienica

How to simulate DNP3

About Accessibility Talent Solutions Questions? Select Language

Safety Center Recommendation transparency

LinkedIn Corporation © 2023

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