This part of IEC 61850, which is a Technical Report, describes functions for power converter-based distributed energy resources (DER) systems, focused on DC-to-AC and AC-to-AC conversions and including photovoltaic systems (PV), battery storage systems, electric vehicle (EV) charging systems, and any other DER systems with a controllable power converter.

The functions defined in this document were used to help define the information models described in IEC 61850-7-420 and which can be used in the exchange of information between these power converter-based DER systems and the utilities, energy service providers (ESPs), or other entities which are tasked with managing the volt, var, and watt capabilities of these power converter-based systems.

These power converter-based DER systems can range from very small grid-connected systems at residential customer sites, to medium-sized systems configured as microgrids on campuses or communities, to very large systems in utility-operated power plants, and to many other configurations and ownership models. They may or may not combine different types of DER systems behind the power converter, such as a power converter-based DER system and a battery that are connected at the DC level.

NOTE The term power converter is being used in place of “inverter” since it covers more types of conversion from input to output power:
• AC to DC (rectifier)
• DC to AC (inverter)
• DC to DC (DC-to-DC converter)
• AC to AC (AC-to-AC converter)