Synthetic Models of Distribution Networks Based on Open Data and Georeferenced Information

Abstract

Many planning and operation studies that aim at fully assessing and optimizing the performance of the distribution grids, in response to the current trends, cannot ignore grid limitations. Modelling the distribution system, by including the electrical characteristics of the network (e.g., topology) and end user behaviors, has become complex, but essential, for all conventional and emerging actors/players of power systems (i.e., system and market operators, regulators, new market parties as service providers, aggregators, researchers, etc.). This paper deals with a methodology that, starting from publicly available open data on the energy consumption of a region or wider area, is capable to obtain reasonable load and generation profiles for the network supplied by each primary substation in the region/area. Furthermore, by combining these profiles with territorial and socio-economic information, the proposed methodology is able to model the network in terms of lines, conductors, loads and generators. The results of this procedure are the synthetic networks of the real distribution networks, that do not correspond exactly to the actual networks, but can characterize them in a realistic way. Such models can be used for all the kind of optimization studies that need to check the grid limitations. Results derived from Italian test cases are presented and discussed.

Synthetic Benchmarks for Power Systems

“…Since a utility aims to evenly distribute loads across a feeder [19], [74], the power consumed was modeled as a uniform distribution. The main characteristics of Italian feeders were also given in [51], such as the GWh consumption per year across agricultural, industrial and residential loads for rural, urban and industrial feeders. Daily profiles were reported for different load types across seasons, weekdays and climate zones, all of which were used to create modern benchmarks of distribution networks.…”

“…The nodal voltage and line capacity constraints were respected for the case study. Extensions to this methodology with time series load profiles are given in [51], [101].…”

“…They instead consider siting synthetic substations and minimizing line lengths based on geometry. Other layers such as transient analysis [51] and economic study [62] are also included in some methodologies.…”

Quantitative Assessment of Flexibility at the TSO/DSO Interface Subject to the Distribution Grid Limitations

“…The final goal is quantifying the flexibility that the TSO can procure from the distribution system without a harmful impact on the distribution network operation. Recently, the authors developed a methodology that, starting from public data on the energy consumption of a region or wider area, is capable of obtaining reasonable load and generation profiles at the TSO/DSO interfaces and also building a realistic representation of the grid below such an interface [34]. The obtained models are the synthetic networks of the real distribution networks.…”

Transmission Power System Modeling by Using Aggregated Distributed Generation Model Based on a TSO—DSO Data Exchange Scheme

“…In [20] the authors proposed a methodology for the distribution systems designed as interfaced resource with the high voltage (HV) grid, using only open data sources, which is different from this paper that uses proposed data exchange between TSO and DSO in order to develop aggregated models at TSO-DSO interface. The paper [21] proposes DERs aggregation methodology considering the uncertainty of the output of DER and the daily eigenvalues.…”