Getting Acquainted with GridLAB-D

January 18, 2019

d.shields

Newsletters, Newsletters 2019

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GridLAB-D is an open-source distribution system simulation and analysis tool that provides insights to users who design, operate, or contribute to electric distribution systems. Originally developed by the US Department of Energy at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, GridLAB-D has been underused. But that’s all about the change.

Gridworks, Stanford National Accelerator Laboratory, Hitachi, National Grid, and the Pacific Northwest National Lab are leading a California Energy Commission program to help you get acquainted with this tool. The project is funder EPIC.

The program is focused on three major enhancements to GridLAB-D, modernizing the tool to make it more accessible, adaptable and familiar, including:

  • a fresh Graphical User Interface, giving users an alternative to the command line prompt that has limited access to the tool
  • open data interchange, linking GridLAB-D to other data sources, such as existing modeling or forecasting tools
  • high-speed processing, making it possible to use adaptive multi-threading to improve parallelization during simulations

These enhancements are underway with help from critical contributors and users like you. The project is supported by government agencies (CEC, CPUC, DOE), industry participants (SCE, PG&E, National Grid), vendors (Sunrun, Kevala, STEM) and public interest groups (NRDC, EDF), all contributing through a Technical Advisory Committee. We are grateful to these valued partners.

The first Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting was held on September 7, 2018 to set the stage for GridLAB-D. With the second annual TAC meeting approaching in March the projects are quickly ramping up and taking shape.The TAC process requires industry experts to advise CEC staff on how best technology and tools can meet future state mandated initiatives. TAC members represent government agencies (CPUC, DOE), Industry participants (SCE, PG&E, National Grid), vendors (Sunrun, Kevala, STEM) and public interest groups (NRDC, EDF).

If you’d like to keep up to date on this work on GridLAB-D you can learn more on our website and sign up for updates here. 

Post by Deborah Shields