Distribution System Modeling with GridLAB-D

Overview

Gridworks is partnering with Stanford National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Hitachi, National Grid, and the Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL) leading three CEC EPIC projects to develop distribution system modeling tools to evaluate distributed energy resources.

Modeling software for power systems is undergoing significant development to address an increasingly complex electric grid. This initiative looks to address some of these most pressing needs by enhancing GridLAB-D, an open source distribution simulation and analysis modeling software developed by the U.S. Department of Energy. GridLAB-D is capable of dynamic analysis, estimation of the grid benefits and impacts of DERs, and support of decision making and planning processes on the distribution system.

This initiative looks to enhance GridLAB-D through three discrete projects, developing:

An open-source modeling framework and translation tool;
High-performance computing in open source grid modeling; and
An open-source user interface for GridLAB-D.

Open Framework for Integrated Data Operations (OpenFIDO) is a data interchange, synthesis and analysis framework allowing interoperability between different power systems tools. This capability allows for a more reliable and efficient data exchange.

High-Performance Agent-Based Simulation using GridLAB-D (HiPAS GridLAB-D) is an open-source upgrade to GridLAB-D that speeds up the analysis performance and computational efficiency of the tool, using intelligent, adaptive multi-threading to deploy highly granular parallelization in agent-based simulations.

GridLAB-D Open Workspace (GLOW) looks to develop a high-end user interface for GridLAB-D that is more intuitive and user-friendly for all stakeholders, including non-expert users, to increase access to simulation and modeling results.

GridLAB-D Open Workspace (GLOW) Project Fact Sheet

Video on GLOW (On behalf of the Stanford SLAC, Hitachi Solutions America, and Gridworks, we would like to thank members of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for a distribution modeling program funded under the California Energy Commission #EPIC program)

Please email info@gridworks.org for more details.

Past Meetings

Apr 2
Friday

GridLAB-D Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Meeting

Meeting objective: This meeting will provide an update on GLOW, HiPAS, and GridLAB-D progress, and demonstrate the Alpha release of OpenFIDO.

Agenda (Tentative)

GLOW Update (Hitachi)
- - Project Plan Overview
  - GLOW Alpha Version with current updated
  - Major Activities
  - Next Steps
Updates on HiPAS and new capabilities of OpenFIDO projects (SLAC)

- - HiPAS
    1. 1. Machine-learning powerflow solver initial performance results
      2. Commercialization plan update and activities underway
  - OpenFIDO
    1. 1. Demonstration of Alpha release on 4 example use-cases

- - - - CYME-GridLAB-D model conversion
        
        Integration capacity analysis
        
        GridLAB-D model validation
        
        NERC load composition synthesis
  - Commercialization plan update and activities underway
TAC members' input on ICA methodology validation through application to IOU systems. Specific questions that will be discussed during the meeting and require feedback from the TAC members include:
- - - Missing features and use cases, and rank for development priority
    - General usability feedbacks
    - Available test models and data
    - Availability of testing and evaluation engineers

April 2 at 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm PDT

Sep 9
Thursday

GridLAB-D Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Meeting

The next GridLAB-D Technical Advisory Committee meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, Sep 9, 2021, from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Meeting objectives:

Present project development updates
1. OpenFIDO (EPC 17-047)
2. HiPAS (EPC 17-046)
3. GLOW (EPC-17-043)
Present GLOW user interface and three use cases (ICA, Grid Resilience, Electrification), get feedback and discuss the future R&D needs of the platform and how to best support them.
Secure collaboration from TAC members on ongoing GLOW development and upcoming Testing Group.
Discuss cloud hosting costs and how to manage them

Agenda:

Introduction (5 minutes) -- Gridworks
GLOW Update (30 minutes) -- Hitachi
1. Project Plan Overview
2. Demonstrating Use Cases
3. GLOW Beta Release and Live Demo
4. Launching Beta Test, Confirming TAC member participation
Updates on HiPAS (30 minutes) -- SLAC
1. Status update
2. Use Cases: Electrification, Tariff design, and Resilience
3. Technology Transfer
Updates on OpenFIDO (30 minutes) -- SLAC
1. Status Update
2. CYME converter demo
3. Vegetation/Wildfire analytics
Open Questions to TAC
1. What suggestions do you have to refine tool capabilities through beta testing?
2. What opportunities and challenges should the team anticipate in commercializing the tools after the conclusion of this project? Long-term support funding model?

September 9 at 10:00 am - 12:00 pm PDT

Sep 9
Thursday

Workshop on GLOW Beta Launching

Objectives:

Beta Launching: pushing glow out to a wider range of audience
Introduction to GLOW Beta release, test plan, and tutorial
Test scalability performance of GLOW
Identify and engage with anchor Beta Testers (SCE, NG, CPUC)

Agenda:

GLOW Beta Launch (90 minute) -- Hitachi
1. Purpose
2. Introduce Beta Test Plan
3. Use Case Tutorials for Hosting Capacity, Electrification and Grid Resilience
4. How to use GLOW
Break
HiPAS and OpenFIDO (90 minutes) -- SLAC
1. Demonstrating Geodata in GridLAB-D