Page 13 - European Energy Innovation - Winter 2016 publication
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The INCREASE Winter 2016 European Energy Innovation 13
simulation platform
COMMUNICATION
NEW CHALLENGES IN THE DISTRIBUTION NETWORK • Offers the ability to perform time-series simulation with
reduced execution times.
Over the past decades, research has been focused
on developing software tools to analyze, plan, • Allows the integration of load and generation forecasting
optimize and simulate electrical networks. The algorithms for short- and medium-term provision of
advent of distributed generation (DG) has reserve, focusing on the power loss reduction, maximizing
gradually changed power flow in the power distribution active power injection and the optimal performance of
network from downstream unidirectional to a bidirectional DRES.
scheme, introducing challenging technical issues, such
as unacceptable overvoltages, voltage unbalances, line • Employs a discrete LAN simulator of communication
congestions, and protection issues. Although novel networks to evaluate the communication performance
control schemes have been proposed for interfacing DGs and the vulnerability of a communication-based control
to the grid and mitigating these issues, such controlled system.
inverters need to be also efficiently incorporated in the
simulation software packages. A major drawback of current • Simple GUI for the power system design with user-friendly
software platforms is that they usually have a closed form post-processing tools for reporting and plotting results.
architecture, not allowing the easy and efficient integration of
user developed models, especially regarding control • Built-in import and export features for most common data
systems. and calculation formats.
• Flexible platform based on open-source software with
modular architecture structure to readily integrate future
packages, features and functions.
THE INCREASE APPROACH The above features and advantages, make the INCREASE
To overcome these issues, a new simulation platform has simulation platform a competitive simulation program among
been developed in the framework of the INCREASE project, other commercial and open-source software packages.
allowing the efficient integration of several distributed
renewable energy sources (DRES) control strategies. The new KEY STAKEHOLDERS
simulation tool has the following basic characteristics: The key stakeholders that can make use of the INCREASE
• Employs phasor-domain solutions, resulting in short simulation platform include:
• Distribution system operators (DSOs). They can perform
execution times even in cases of extended distribution
networks. long-term analysis of the distribution grids to assess
• Offers a graphical user interface (GUI) for the convenient different control techniques of DRESs and their impacts.
input and configuration of the system under study. • Transmission system operators (TSOs). The INCREASE
• Can allow the efficient incorporation of any DG control simulation platform can be a valuable tool for developing
scheme. and/or evaluating the provision of ancillary services for
• Can be interlinked with other software platforms the TSOs.
and tools to form a generic co-simulation platform, • Aggregators. It can be used as a powerful tool for the
capable to simulate modern power system networks aggregators to ensure the safe and reliable network
from both power, control and communication point operation, following certain interventions.
of view. • Power retailers. The developed platform can be used to
investigate different pricing policies for the prosumers,
FEATURES taking also into consideration the network operation from
The INCREASE simulation platform provides the user with a power systems point of view.
a co-simulation tool that can be used to investigate the • Other regulatory authorities. They can exploit the
influence of DRESs on their distribution system. In general, INCREASE simulation platform to develop new and/or
the simulation platform offers the following major features: assess existing regulatory frameworks.
• Detailed analysis of MV/LV electrical power grids, • Energy companies. It can be used to investigate the long-
term performance of the network from the grid side as
including all potential DRESs, DGs, loads and control well as from the economic point of view.
systems and high-end control schemes in DRESs. Due to • Universities or research institutes. They can perform
the required analysis, a quasi-dynamic solution is adopted. simulation studies to evaluate existing control techniques
• Incorporation of an adaptive Multi-Agent System (MAS) and/or to develop new control strategies. l
taking into account multi-objective control algorithms as
well as the communication among the individual agents. Contact details:
• Implementation of a multi-layer control strategy for Dr. ir. Bart Meersman – bart.meersman@ugent.be
the secure and optimal operation of active distribution & bart@s2enso.com
grids. The distinct control strategies are coordinated by Prof. dr. ir. Grigoris Papagiannis – grigoris@eng.auth.gr
employing a user defined timeslot concept.
• Ability to simulate balanced as well as unbalanced
distribution networks with high accuracy.
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
