Powering Progress by Rethinking Substation Builds

October 22, 2025 

2:00 PM ET / 1:00 PM CT / 11:00 AM PT / 7:00 PM GMT 

Duration: 1 hour 

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Summary

The IEC 61850 protocol has revolutionized substation automation by enabling fast, interoperable and event-driven communication between intelligent electronic devices (IEDs). For substations supporting microgrids, the success of IEC 61850 hinges not only on software architecture but critically on the physical communication layer. Fiber optic infrastructure stands out as the optimal medium to unlock the full potential of IEC 61850.

Unlike copper or wireless alternatives, fiber offers superior bandwidth, immunity to electromagnetic interference and enhanced security, which are key for environments with high-voltage equipment and distributed energy resources (DERs). Its support for high-speed GOOSE messaging and sampled values ensures sub-millisecond response times, which are essential for protection schemes and dynamic load balancing in microgrid operations.

Fiber also enables longer transmission distances without signal degradation, facilitating centralized control across geographically dispersed assets. As microgrids evolve to include solar, storage and advanced control systems, fiber-based IEC 61850 deployments provide the scalability and reliability needed for future-ready grid infrastructure.

Key Takeaways:

1. How Fiber Infrastructure Maximizes IEC 61850 Performance: Discover why fiber optics are the ideal physical layer for IEC 61850 deployments in microgrid-connected substations.
2. Strategies for Building Resilient, Scalable Microgrid Substations: Learn how fiber-based networks support real-time coordination across DERs, enhance fault isolation and future-proof your substation architecture for evolving grid demands.
3. Best Practices for Deploying IEC 61850 with Fiber: Gain insights into designing and implementing IEC 61850 systems using fiber.