The fundamental changes in the energy sector, due to the rise of renewable energy resources and the possibilities of the digitalisation process, result in the demand for new methodologies for testing Smart Grid concepts and control strategies. Using the Power Hardware-in-the-Loop (PHIL) methodology is one of the key elements for such evaluations. PHIL and other in-the-loop concepts cannot be considered as plug’n’play and, for a wider adoption, the obstacles have to be reduced. This paper presents the comparison of two different setups for the evaluation of components and systems focused on undisturbed operational conditions. The first setup is a conventional PHIL setup and the second is a simplified setup based on a quasi-dynamic PHIL (QDPHIL) approach which involves fast and continuously steady state load flow calculations. A case study which analyses a simple superimposed voltage control algorithm gives an example for the actual usage of the quasi-dynamic setup. Furthermore, this article also provides a comparison and discussion of the achieved results with the two setups and it concludes with an outlook about further research.

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In this study, technical as well as economic aspects of local and central coordinated voltage control strategies, which are based on reactive power provision from the distributed generators, will be analyzed in the context of high penetration of renewable energy resources in European medium voltage distribution networks. An economical evaluation of the operation and investment costs of the strategies is the main focus of this study. The results suggest that voltage control strategies which are based on distributed generators can increase the hosting capacity of the network, while being economically viable in comparison to classic grid reinforcement