Future-proof SCADA solution for the energy industry

Bachmann electronic is presenting a new innovative SCADA solution that has been specially developed for energy management in an increasingly networked and hybrid energy industry. forsiteSCADA, which is based on Bachmann's web based visualization solution atvise® and was previously known as WindPowerSCADA (WPS), has not only been renamed, but also consistently further developed to meet the growing demands of the entire energy industry.

The name forsiteSCADA stands for "foresight" in the sense of forward-looking planning and “site” as the central point for machine parks, energy plants or properties. The system remains as flexible as its predecessor, but significantly expands the range of applications. In addition to wind turbines – onshore and offshore – photovoltaic parks, battery storage systems, CHP units and meteorological systems can also be integrated. The integration of hydroelectric, hydrogen and wave power plants is also planned.

Four expansion stages – light, basic, advanced, and premium – enable precise scaling. All versions are web-based and offer preconfigured dashboards and the display of live and historical data. While the light version is designed for smaller systems with up to three generation units, the basic version already permits the creation of individual dashboards. The advanced and premium versions provide even greater flexibility: Here, users not only have the option of creating and showing their own displays, but can also completely customize the GUI to suit their needs without any additional development tools. The premium version also offers an extended menu structure, extensive reporting functions and, if requested, a redundant installation for fail-safe operation. The system can be expanded optionally by cascading multiple SCADA instances or automated reporting.

A central focus is on security: With a comprehensive access control system, access logging, modular encryption technology, as well as two-factor authentication, forsiteSCADA protects against unauthorized access — a decisive factor in times of increasing cyber risks. The proven IEC 61400-25 data structure ensures uniform operating concepts, even with heterogeneous plant fleets.

Condition monitoring data can be correlated directly with the plant data, which significantly simplifies maintenance and fault analysis. And thanks to atvise® technology, visualization remains intuitive: From the clear turbine interface to complex park control, all data can be accessed via a browser – responsive, secure, and without local installation.

With forsiteSCADA, Bachmann electronic aims to establish a sustainably scalable SCADA system for the entire energy industry that can also integrate future developments.