The pressure to implement IEC 61850 has never been more intense! Our January 2013 survey of 153 smart grid professionals across Europe revealed that 85% of respondents consider its implementation either ‘very important’ or ‘important’ to their organisational agenda. And whilst multi-vendor interoperability was considered the single most important benefit of embracing IEC 61850, it was also by far considered the biggest hurdle to achieving its effective implementation.

With far-ranging potential benefits to capitalise upon, now is the time to overcome the challenges and put implementation strategies into action.

It is with this in mind that we bring you the only European Conference, Exhibition and Networking forum to provide real-life, practical examples of IEC 61850 implementation within TSO and DSO environments. Attend this case-study driven conference and benefit from the lessons learnt by the pioneers in key areas such as:

• Achieving Multi-vendor Interoperability – managing the complexities of multiple vendors' devices and tools and developing open vendor-neutral configuration tools to achieve seamless engineering
  
• Implementing IEC 61850 in Legacy Substations – adapting implementation to manage the lifecycle challenges and backward compatibility aspects of substation replacement, refurbishment, and expansion
  
• Ensuring Robust Testing and Maintenance – modifying existing testing strategies and preparing appropriate documentation to mitigate failures, and identify and correct faults in the absence of wires to track
  
• Driving Workforce Skill and Knowledge Development – identifying and cultivating the new engineering skills required to understand the complexities and meet the demands of IEC 61850, and capitalise on the full benefits
• Enhancing Communication and Data Transfer – effectively transitioning from hardwiring to Ethernet and overcoming the challenges around GOOSE messaging when performing time-critical functions
  
• Cyber and Physical Security – mitigating the heightened cyber and physical security risks when implementing IEC 61850
  
• Applying IEC 61850 in New Domains – reviewing implementation in distributed energy, hydro, wind and solar power plants
  

Take advantage of our multi-layered format to get the most out of your participation:

• Hands-on Pre-conference Workshop: The Fundamentals of IEC 61850 – take advantage of this interactive learning opportunity, designed to simplify the complexities of IEC 61850. Get to grips with the latest developments and requirements so that you are fully equipped to benefit from the practical lessons shared during the main conference days. View the workshop agenda here
  
• In-depth Case Study Presentations – hear real-life, practical, implementation focused presentations from the key European TSOs and DSOs
  
• Open Dialogue and Debate – benefit from panel discussions focused on the most pressing and controversial issues, including perspectives from the entire IEC 61850 ecosystem including TSOs, DSOs, technology manufacturers, system integrators, testing laboratories, consultants and key Working Group members from across Europe
• Interactive Champagne Roundtable Discussions – join the breakout sessions, bring your IEC 61850 challenges to the table and brainstorm solutions with fellow delegates, speakers and exhibitors, and benefit from the advice of the wider IEC 61850 community
  
• High Impact Networking in the Solution Zone - meet likeminded colleagues from across the European utility landscape, benefit from the advice and expertise of our exhibitors in the IEC 61850 Solution Zone, and take away information on the products, services and solutions you need to drive your IEC 61850 implementation forward