Improving the portability and exchangeability of model data for smart grids focusing on real-time simulations – definition of a common reference model

A key and important aspect of future power and energy systems is the integration of renewable and
distributed energy resources. In order to develop, test and implement such distributed energy resources
appropriate methods, procedures and guidelines are necessary.
In 2009 a consortium of sixteen partners from industry and research started the DERri project
(Distributed Energy Resources Research Infrastructures) to examine this issue. A special focus of the
work in the DERi project is related to the improvement of simulation methods, with emphasis on the
real-time domain, in order to support the development and implementation of DER devices. Currently
no standardized modelling and simulation procedures as well as data formats for the exchange of realtime
models exist; the DERri consortium has begun work on developing suitable exchange
mechanisms.
This paper presents and examines an approach to providing a standards-based model representation,
especially for the real-time simulation of distributed energy resource devices. The main aim of this
concept is the improvement of the exchange of model information and results from offline and realtime
simulations between different research groups. A major result of this approach is the so called
Common Reference Model for distributed energy resource components.