Increased use of assets - smart investment decisions
The rise of new technologies, such as renewables and electric vehicles, pose additional challenges for distribution network planning. Considering that network planning decisions have to be future-proof to last 40 years or more, selecting the best network planning solution is a challenging process.
A range of innovative methods and assets has been developed by research and industry, which complement grid reinforcement: reactive and active power based voltage management, active power based current congestion management, on-load tap changing transformers, line voltage regulators etc. These additional options to choose from allow an increased utilization of grid infrastructure, but make the network planning process even more challenging.
The AIT Network Planning Toolbox provides the answer by supporting network planners with
- A quick and objective comparison of network planning solutions for a certain grid section. This comprises the comparison of grid reinforcement with other measures, the use of an on-load tap changing transformer and the choice of most effective Volt/VAr control function.
- An area-wide evaluation of measures to increase grid utilization. This evaluation compares all available measure to increase the utilization of existing assets for an entire distribution grid. Doing so, it provides a basis for strategic decisions and it provides input towards investment planning.
The AIT Network Planning Toolbox is flexible software platform, built to support distribution grid planning. It is DIgSILENT PowerFactory® based, running on AIT servers and operated by AIT experts, and its functionalities are transferrable to other simulation environments.
Some example outputs of the AIT Network Planning Toolbox are
- Calculation of reserve capacity
- Evaluation of hosting capacity increase using reactive power based voltage control
- Comparison of grid reinforcement with innovative measures
- Impact of reactive power based voltage control an reactive power flows and losses
- Calculation of transformer tap settings
- Calculation of optimal settings for any local voltage control
- Automation of manual work to draw, calculate and evaluate network sections (e.g. starting from .xls or .csv files)
- And many more
Your benefit from the AIT Network Planning Toolbox
Our toolbox has been developed to support distribution network planning departments. It provides quick and objective assessments of technical solutions for specific grid sections and it can support strategic decisions based on a full assessment of your grid by identifying cost-effective measures to increase grid utilization.
Using the AIT Network Planning Toolbox, we offer network planning services to support your planning department, but we can also implement (parts of) our Toolbox in your software environment, enabling your network planners to do more with existing assets and save on network investments.
Do not hesitate to contact us for more information, including results from our reference customers.
