This task force paper summarizes the state-of-the-art real-time digital simulation concepts and technologies that are used for the analysis, design, and testing of the electric power system and its apparatus. This paper highlights the main building blocks of the real-time simulator, i.e., hardware, software, input-output systems, modeling, and solution techniques, interfacing capabilities to external hardware and various applications. It covers the most commonly used real-time digital simulators in both industry and academia. A comprehensive list of the real-time simulators is provided in a tabular review. The objective of this paper is to summarize salient features of various real-time simulators, so that the reader can benefit from understanding the relevant technologies and their applications, which will be presented in a separate paper. © 2015 IEEE

Renewable energy sources are key enablers to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and to cope with the anthropogenic global warming. Their intermittent behaviour and limited storage capabilities present challenges to power system operators in maintaining the high level of power quality and reliability. However, the increased availability of advanced automation and communication technologies has provided new intelligent solutions to face these challenges. Previous work has presented various new methods to operate highly interconnected power grids with corresponding components in a more effective way. As a consequence of these developments the traditional power system is transformed into a cyber-physical system, a smart grid.Previous and ongoing research activities have mainly focused on validating certain aspects of smart grids, but until now no integrated approach for analysing and evaluating complex configurations in a cyber-physical systems manner is available. This paper tackles this issue and addresses system validation approaches for smart grids. Different approaches for different stages in the design, development, and roll-out phase of smart grid solutions and components are discussed. Finally, future research directions are analysed.Keywords: smart grid; simulation; hardware-in-the-loop; research; infrastructure; education; training IntroductionEnergy efficiency and low-carbon technologies are key enablers to mitigate the increasing emission of green-house gases still resulting in a global warming trend [1]. The efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions also strongly affect the power system. Renewable sources, storage systems and flexible loads provide enhanced possibilities but power system operators and utilities have to cope with their fluctuating nature, limited storage capabilities and the typically higher complexity of the whole infrastructure with a growing amount of heterogeneous components [2]. Additionally, due to changing framework conditions, like the liberalization of the energy markets and new regulatory rules, as well as technology developments (e.g., new components), approaches for design, planning, and operation of the future electric energy system have to be restructured. Sophisticated component design methods, intelligent information and communication architectures, automation and control concepts as well as proper standards are necessary in order to manage the higher complexity of such intelligent power systems (i.e., smart grids) [3][4][5]. Besides technical challenges also economic, ecological and social issues have to be addressed in smart grid research and innovation, too.During the last decade-especially in the past framework programs of the European Commission (i.e., FP6 and FP7)-a growing number of research and technology development activities have already been carried out in this area. Their main attempt was to fulfil the challenging goals and needs of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) of the European Commission for a sustainable environment and to foster the inno...

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

In order to overcome challenges associated with the integration of distributed energy resources (DER) into state-of-the-art and future power grids, a common basis for testing using appropriate benchmark systems is required. Real-time hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation has proven to be an advanced and efficient tool for the analysis and validation of electric power systems and DER components. However, a common methodology for HIL testing of DER along with the required set of reference systems has not yet been developed. This task-force paper proposes a benchmark system for HIL testing incorporating DER into the real-time simulation environment. A low-voltage benchmark system with detailed HIL setup is proposed for the testing of DER performance. The modeling of DER for real-time applications is discussed, and the detailed laboratory procedures and setups for both controller HIL (CHIL) and power HIL (PHIL) are provided. Results from CHIL simulation related to the centralized controls and experimental results of PHIL simulation related to local control on the benchmark system substantiate the suitability of the proposed real-time simulation approach.

This version is available at https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/40766/ Strathprints is designed to allow users to access the research output of the University of Strathclyde. Unless otherwise explicitly stated on the manuscript, Copyright © and Moral Rights for the papers on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright owners. Please check the manuscript for details of any other licences that may have been applied. You may not engage in further distribution of the material for any profitmaking activities or any commercial gain. You may freely distribute both the url (https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/) and the content of this paper for research or private study, educational, or not-for-profit purposes without prior permission or charge.Any correspondence concerning this service should be sent to the Strathprints administrator: strathprints@strath.ac.ukThe Strathprints institutional repository (https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk) is a digital archive of University of Strathclyde research outputs. It has been developed to disseminate open access research outputs, expose data about those outputs, and enable the management and persistent access to Strathclyde's intellectual output. Abstract-This Paper discusses Power Hardware-in-the-Loop simulations from an important point of view: an intrinsic and integral part of PHIL simulation -the power amplification. In various publications PHIL is discussed either in a very theoretical approach or it is briefly featured as the used method. In neither of these publication types the impact of the power amplification to the total PHIL simulation is discussed deeply. This paper extends this discussion into the comparison of three different power amplification units and their usability for PHIL simulations. Finally in the conclusion it is discussed which type of power amplification is best for which type of PHIL experiment.

The role of flexible alternating current transmission systems (FACTSs) in the provision of grid services is becoming increasingly important, due to the massive integration of intermittent renewable energy sources, energy storage systems, and the decommissioning of thermal plants. A comprehensive literature review of grid services offered by FACTS is performed, focusing on the different grid services that they can provide, such as power flow control, reactive power control, voltage control, power quality improvement, harmonic mitigation, improvement of transient stability, and damping of inter-area and intra-area oscillations. These grid services need to be realistically and economically validated in suitable testing environments. A review of relevant standards, guides, and the literature is performed, which covers the entire range from functional specification and factory testing up to the field testing of FACTS. Advanced industry practices, such as controller hardware in the loop (CHIL) testing of FACTS controllers by the manufacturer, and recent trends, such as CHIL testing of replica controllers by the owner, are underlined. Limitations of conventional testing and CHIL testing are explained and the use of power hardware in the loop (PHIL) simulation for FACTS testing is discussed. CHIL and scaled-down PHIL tests on a transmission static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) are performed and a comparison of the results is presented.