Standardization and deployment scenario of next generation NB-PLC technologies Bilal Masood n , Sobia Baig Department of Electrical Engineering, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore, Pakistan article info Article history: Received 19 November 2015 Received in revised form 14 April 2016 Accepted 14 July 2016 Keywords: NB-PLC ICT SG AMI G3-PLC PRIME abstract Several efforts have been made in the recent decades with a goal to implement the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) in the power grid. These efforts laid foundation for the implementation of next generation Narrowband Power Line Communications (NB-PLC) technologies. In the recent past, stan- dardization process has been completed by IEEE and ITU-T for the deployment of transceivers, based on Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) NB-PLC. In this paper significance of NB-PLC with a focus on CENELEC band in the context of standardization and deployment is discussed. A comprehensive comparative analysis of Power Related Intelligent Metering Evolution (PRIME), G3-PLC and IEEE 1901.2 along with their routing techniques is presented. Moreover, deployment aspects and worldwide PLC research projects by academia are discussed. & 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Contents 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1034 2. Significance of power line communications .............................................................................. 1035 2.1. An overview of next generation NB-PLC technologies ................................................................ 1035 2.1.1. PRIME: ITU-T G.9904 ................................................................................... 1035 2.1.2. G3-PLC: ITU-T G.9903 .................................................................................. 1036 2.1.3. IEEE 1901.2 ........................................................................................... 1037 3. Comparison of ITU-T G.9903, ITU-T G.9904 and IEEE 1901.2................................................................. 1038 3.1. Routing strategies of ITU-T G.9903 ............................................................................... 1039 3.2. Routing strategies of ITU-T G.9904 ............................................................................... 1040 3.3. Routing strategies of IEEE 1901.2 ................................................................................ 1040 4. Chips and solutions for NB-PLC systems ................................................................................ 1040 4.1. Past generation circuits ........................................................................................ 1040 4.1.1. AS5501/02 solution .................................................................................... 1040 4.1.2. AMIS-49587 solution ................................................................................... 1040 4.1.3. ST7538/40 solution .................................................................................... 1040 4.1.4. TDA5051 solution...................................................................................... 1040 4.2. Next generation circuits ....................................................................................... 1040 4.2.1. ST7570 solution ....................................................................................... 1040 4.2.2. ST7580 solution ....................................................................................... 1040 4.2.3. ST7590 solution ....................................................................................... 1040 4.2.4. IT700 solution ........................................................................................ 1040 4.2.5. IT900 DCSK TURBO solution ............................................................................. 1040 4.2.6. LinkSprite spyder solution............................................................................... 1040 4.2.7. MAX2992 solution ..................................................................................... 1040 5. PLC research projects funded by academia and deployment aspects .......................................................... 1040 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/rser Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2016.07.060 1364-0321/& 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. n Corresponding author. E-mail address: bilalmasood84@yahoo.com (B. Masood). Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 65 (2016) 1033–1047