SmartGridToolbox: A Library for Simulating Modern and Future Electricity Networks

TL;DR

SmartGridToolbox is a versatile C++ library designed for simulating complex electricity networks, supporting unbalanced modeling, optimization, and integration with various tools for research and application development.

Contribution

It introduces a flexible, extensible simulation library that surpasses existing tools by supporting detailed network components, optimization, and custom control strategies.

Findings

Demonstrated fast power flow and OPF solutions

Showcased applications in real-world projects like the Bruny Island Battery Trial

Compared favorably with existing open source simulation tools

Abstract

We present SmartGridToolbox: a C++ library for simulating modern and future electricity networks. SmartGridToolbox is distinguished by the fact that it is a general purpose library (rather than an application), that emphasizes flexibility, extensibility, and ability to interface with a wide range of other tools, such as optimization technologies. It incorporates fully unbalanced network modelling, fast power flow and OPF solvers, a discrete-event simulation engine, and a component library that includes network components like lines, cables, transformers, ZIP loads and generators, renewable and storage components like PV generation and batteries, inverters, tap changers, PV, generic time dependent loads and more. We anticipate that SmartGridToolbox will be useful to researchers who require accurate simulations of electricity networks that go beyond simple applications of load flow - for example, by incorporating custom optimisation algorithms, controllers, devices, or network management strategies. Being a library, it is also perfect for developing a wide range of end use applications. We start with a comparison to existing open source software, and move on to present its main features and benchmark results. We conclude by discussing four applications, most notably, the use of SmartGridToolbox in the CONSORT Bruny Island Battery Trial, conducted between 2016 and 2019.