Validating Coordination Schemes between Transmission and Distribution System Operators using a Laboratory-Based Approach

TL;DR

This paper validates coordination schemes between transmission and distribution system operators through laboratory tests, providing insights into controller performance, communication effects, and price-based control integration for future power system operation.

Contribution

It introduces a laboratory validation approach for coordination schemes in power systems, complementing field tests and highlighting limitations of current implementations.

Findings

Controller validation results inform scheme effectiveness.

Communication impacts affect coordination performance.

Price-based controls can be integrated with existing schemes.

Abstract

The secure operation of future power systems will rely on better coordination between transmission system and distribution system operators. Increasing integration of renewables throughout the whole system is challenging the traditional operation. To tackle this problem, the SmartNet project proposes and evaluates five different coordination schemes between system operators using three benchmark scenarios from Denmark, Italy, and Spain. In the project, field tests in each of the benchmark countries are complemented with a number of laboratory validation tests, to cover scenarios that cannot be tested in field trials. This paper presents the outcome of these laboratory tests. Three tests are shown, focusing on controller validation, analysis of communication impacts, and how well price-based controls can integrate with the SmartNet coordination schemes. The results demonstrate important indications for the field tests and also show some of the limitations with the current implementations of the coordinations schemes.