Power Line Communications (PLC)

Power Line Communication (PLC), or Powerline Communication, as it is sometimes referred to, is the transmission of data signals via the existing low and medium voltage electricity distribution infrastructure. The present book is based on a PhD thesis that first provides an introduction to PLC, with a focus on ‘PLC Access’ and then presents research results based on practical applications. PLC and UMTS architectures are then considered, in terms of the developing standards, in order to facilitate new, novel, integrated, communication scenarios. Further research is undertaken on PLC and comparisons are drawn with other technologies in the provision of communication interfaces for the coordination of Distributed Energy Generation and load shaping – the necessity for such systems to provide for control of power generation and supply network management, in pseudo real-time, is considered a key issue in reducing blackouts. The author, Michael Koch, is the Vice President Strategy and Regulatory Affairs for Power PLUS Communications AG, Mannheim/Germany. He is heavily involved in PLC international standards development including the, on-going, work in ETSI, CENELEC, CISPR, and the PLCforum.