Real time state estimation demonstration on Irish distribution network

Project Description

Real time visibility of electrical distribution networks will be a key challenge for Distribution System Operators (DSOs) in the coming years. Increasingly active distribution networks are now a hosting infrastructure for renewable generation and demand side aggregators. This, when accompanied by new dynamic pricing regimes, poses challenges to many of the assumptions which have driven network planning and operation. The challenge of network visibility is fundamentally about having a real-time, live picture of network states of sufficient granularity such that control actions can be taken. This requires minimising errors in measurements, time stamps and any required communications. A real-time picture of network status is essential to the secure integration of renewable distributed resources and demand flexibility. This proposed project entails research and innovation activity targeted at the development of a software platform to provide a real-time view of network status for network operators. It represents a collaboration with ESB Networks (Irish DSO) who together with NovoGrid will undertake a pilot of the software platform of the system to be developed in this project. This pilot aims to provide a necessary and valuable validation of the platform as well as aiming to enable demonstration of the benefits of such systems to network operators as they develop low carbon energy networks.