Power System and Smart Grid Lab @ IITGN

Power Systems and Smart Grid lab at IIT Gandhinagar focuses the research in smart distribution grids/microgrids and integration of distributed generations and energy management. Our research activities are supported through national/international research collaborations with academic institutions and industrial organizations. The key research findings offer:

1) energy management framework for renewable energy and battery storage integration and

2) technological tool for the peer-to-peer energy trading and aggregator level demand response participation. This contribution greatly leverages the benefits towards better distribution network efficiency, resiliency and reduced carbon footprint in energy sector.

onging research

Central power research institute (cpri) Project

CyberDiSS: Cyber-Attack Analysis Toolkit for Cyber-Physical Distribution System Security (2022-2023)

  • To develop the cyber-physical emulation for distribution system (CyberDiSS)
  • To build the Cyber-attack Analysis Toolkit (CAT) – a software platform and intrusion detection system (IDS) for securing the distribution system from potential cyber threats and attacks

Highlights of Research Projects

Indo-German Science and Technology Center (IGSTC) Project

ECO-WET : Efficient Coupling of – Water and Energy Technologies for Smart Sustainable Cities (2018-2022)

  1. Decentral monitoring and control system
      • Establishment of microgrids & Micro infrastructures
      • Optimized and demand based Local Decision Making
  2.  Increase robustness of critical infrastructure
      • Integration of RE sources and energy storage
      • Cross Sector Coupling and Modularization
  3.  “Internet of infrastructures”
      • Utilization of ICT technologies for infrastructure digitization
      • Open Hardware/Software Platform

Partners

  • IIT Gandhinagar
  • GIFT City
  • IIT Kanpur
  • Fortiss, Germany
  • Sonnen, Germany

DST – Mission Innovation: Smart Grids Project

Development of a Prosumer Driven Integrated SMART grid (2018-2022)

Project aims to develop and demonstrate a block-chain based peer-to-peer energy sharing and trading platform that enables consumers to manage their home or industrial energy needs and take control of their energy sourcing, while achieving higher energy security, enhancing renewable energy share and increasing commercial viability through enhanced energy efficiency measures.

Proof of concept for peer to peer power trading between prosumers at a community or DSO level and demonstrate the behavior of various prosumers.

DST-UKIERI Project

Data-Driven Intelligent Energy Management for Environmentally Sustainable Energy Access (2017-2021)

Objectives:

Develop key strategies, novel algorithms and models – to define interactions of smart technologies, DERs and digital networks

  • A research program on data-driven software technology (big data analytics and real-time intelligence) platforms for intelligent energy management
  • Internal and outreaching exchange and dissemination of skill sets and knowledge

Partners:

  • IIT Gandhinagar
  • MMMUT
  • The University of Edinburgh, UK
  • Queen’s University Belfast, UK

DST-SERB Project

Smart Integrated Campus Energy Monitoring and Management System (2017-2020)

Objectives:

  • Energy monitoring, Data Analysis and Optimal DR strategies
  • Optimization and machine learning approaches for energy management
  • Promoting efficient energy utilization in the campus

Solar PV Generation@IITGN – Portal

Received Newton-Bhabha grant to organize the India UK Advanced Training School (IUATS) on “Optimal design and control of Smart community: New ideas for off-grid communities” at IIT Gandhinagar during 7-17 November, 2016. This high-quality event was a part of the British Council programme, in partnership with the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) funded under Newton-Bhabha fund.

Awarded the prestigious Building Energy Efficiency Higher & Advanced Network (BHAVAN) Fellowship by India-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) in 2016. 

PS&SG Lab (Power SystemS and Smart Grid lab)

PS&SG laboratory is equipped with a fully digital real-time power engineering simulation platform consists of Opal-RT (OP4508 F11-3+1) real-time digital simulator – OP5600 and customized hardware and firmware of Lab-Volt for Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and Rapid control prototype (RCP) studies. This lab also equipped with power systems simulation packages – PSCAD and CYME distribution software. Laboratory supports power engineering experimental teaching facility and also full-fledged research platform for conducting research in the major domain of smart distribution grid, renewable energy, energy management, etc.

Hardware/Firmware facilities

Real-time Digital Simulator (OPAL-RT)

It is fully digital real-time power engineering simulation platform consists of OPAL-RT  (OP4508 F11-3+1) real-time digital simulator. It Supports real time applications like Rapid Control Prototyping, Hardware-in-loop and Pure simulation with hard disk memory of 500Gb. OPAL-RT solvers are fully integrated with MATLAB/SIMULINK. It runs on a networked PC configuration consisting of command station, Target Nodes, Communication Links (real time and ethernet) and advanced FGPA (Field Gate Programmable Gate Array) I/O Boards.

Some applications areas of OPAL-RT are:

  • Smart distribution grid/Microgrids
  • Protection Systems
  • Battery Management Systems
  • Hybrid and Electrical Transportation
  • Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC)
  • Wide Area Monitoring Protection and Control

Customized modular Hardware and Firmware (LABVOLT)

LABVOLT is a training system fully consisting of modular blocks and by combining different blocks we can build a wide variety of controllable real time emulated systems.

LABVOLT modules serve following application areas:

  • DC and AC Power Circuits
  • Lead-Acid Battery
  • Basic Renewable Energy
  • Home Energy Production
  • Electromechanical Systems
  • Smart Grid Technologies
  • Power Transmission

Simulation Software

CYMDIST Distribution Analysis software (5 users)

CYMDIST is powerful distribution network analysis tool having the feature of performing the load flow analysis of balanced, unbalanced, single phase, three-phase, mesh type or radial type network very effectively and efficiently.

PS&SG lab uses the software to analyse the IITGN distribution network which has highly unbalanced and seasonally varying load pattern with a 500KW solar power plant

DIgSILENT Power factory

DIgSILENT PowerFactory Software (Research and Education version) used for power system analysis applications – distribution system operational planning, load flow analysis, DER integration and impact assessment studies, etc

GAMS Software

General Algebraic Modelling System (GAMS) is used to solve the linear, non-linear and mix-integer optimization problems.

OpenDSS (Open source)

OpenDSS is a multipurpose distribution analysis tool to support all distribution planning aspects of distributed generation. The distribution system is analysed in frequency domain for power flow, harmonic analysis and distribution dynamic analysis.

In PS&SG Lab, OpenDSS is used to study the behaviour of the IITGN distributed network which has a 500KW solar power injection. It is also used to perform time series analysis of the network subjected to the seasonally varying load pattern.

MATLAB/Simulink (Institute licence)

MATLAB is a multi-disciplinary numerical computing software and simulation environment. It serves as a solution platform for several Power system applications such as:

  • Modelling of electrical circuits and networks
  • Modelling of wind energy systems, battery energy storage system etc.
  • Design and control of power electronic converters
  • Microgrid applications
  • Wind generation, solar generation and electricity price forecasting

PSCAD

PSCAD is computer-aided design software used to model and simulate electrical power systems. This software has huge applications in short circuit analysis, modelling of electrical substations, HVDC systems and power system protection algorithms.