Modeling Smart Grid Applications with Co-Simulation

Abstract

Our analysis of a complex Smart Grid control scheme uses simulation to model both the communication network and the power system. The control scheme uses a wireless communication network to activate distributed storage units in a segment of the electrical grid to compensate for temporary loss of power from a solar photovoltaic (PV) array. Our analytical model of the communication network provides a means to examine the effect of communication failures as a function of the radio frequency (RF) transmission power level. We use these results in an open source event-driven simulator to determine the impact on the electrical power system.