SCADA Acronyms Explained: What Beginners Need to Know

For those brand new to SCADA, one of the first walls you’ll hit is all the acronyms. Networking, communications, and cybersecurity each come with their own vocabulary, and SCADA sits at the intersection of all three.

Here are a handful of acronyms you’ll learn in the new SCADA Communication Systems for Utility-Scale Solar course.

SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) – The industrial control system used to monitor, manage, and control a solar plant remotely.

RTU (Remote Terminal Unit) – a field-installed device that collects data from sensors and transmits it back to the central system. 

PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) – an onsite computer that executes automated control actions, like moving trackers to a stow position when wind speed exceeds a threshold. 

HMI (Human Machine Interface) – the screen and software operators use to monitor the plant and issue commands. 

PR (Performance Ratio) – the ratio of actual energy output to theoretical maximum output, adjusted for temperature and irradiance.

In the interview clip below, HeatSpring instructor Connor Krening walks through a few he had to figure out early on including IP address, DNP3, RS485, and RJ45.

Transcript below.

Brittany: What are some of the acronyms people might come across when they’re first getting involved in the SCADA world and what do they mean?

Connor: I can’t give you a comprehensive list, but here are a few examples of things I was looking up when I was first starting out.

One is understanding the difference between an IP address and a Modbus address, and why you might need both for a certain device.

Different protocols and communication standards are really important to know at a baseline level, because you need to know what language a device is speaking so it can communicate with the rest of the system – whether that’s DNP3, TCP, or Modbus.

It’s also worth recognizing the difference between a hardware specification and a protocol. RS485, for example, is a specification for electrical wiring that carries communications. An RJ45 port is essentially an ethernet port — there’s a physical standard around how devices connect. If you need to physically plug one device into another, understanding that standard is key to making things talk.

Ready to build a solid foundation in SCADA for utility-scale solar? Enroll in SCADA Communication Systems for Utility-Scale Solar or check out the full Utility-Scale Solar Executive bundle!