System Integration

The DIgSILENT products PowerFactory and StationWare are used by our customers in complex business processes and use data from other information systems (GIS, SCADA, etc.). In close cooperation with the customer, the DIgSILENT project team develops customer-specific integration solutions that enable centralised and efficient data management and the automation of processes.

GIS Integration

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) together with Asset Management Systems are the main sources of network topology and equipment data. Many utilities use GIS exports as a basis for the PowerFactory network model. These exports may comprise detailed substation data including topology, line/cable data, load/generation data and GPS coordinates/schematic diagram information, etc.

The symbols of stations, line style and colouring can be customised according to technical properties of the objects. The built-in Compare & Merge Tool and the versioning mechanism perfectly support frequent data exchange with GIS.
PowerFactory engines can directly be integrated into GIS systems providing calculation functionality such as evaluation of renewable generation connected to the low voltage grid.

Geographic representation of a fictitious medium voltage grid in PowerFactory. Yellow circles indicate load; purple shows installed production.

SCADA Integration

The PowerFactory OPC interface is utilised worldwide for real-time integration of PowerFactory with SCADA systems. The applications range from online state estimation, simulation mode functions (dispatcher load flow, contingency analysis, switching validation) to dispatcher training simulator with real-time transient grid simulation. Controller manufacturers use the PowerFactory OPC interface for controller development and hardware-in-the-loop tests, e.g. for smart grid controllers, PV or wind park control schemes.

Business Process Automation

PowerFactory supports standard ENTSO-E operation planning processes such as D-2, D-1 and Intraday. The Intraday process runs as a fully-automated, parallelised process. The PowerFactory ConnectorService features message-based data exchange such as load forecast, planned generator dispatch, day-ahead cross-border exchange programs, CIM (CGMES) or UCTE-DEF files, EMS snapshots, dynamic line ratings and market coupling data.

Likewise, PowerFactory is the product of choice for business process automation in distribution planning and operation. As an example, the combined MV/LV calculation for the distribution grid of a whole country (>2 000 primary substations and > 25 000 MV feeders and > 845 000 LV grids) has been automated using PowerFactory and bulk exports of GIS data.

Processes in strategic and operational network planning that are well supported by DIgSILENT PowerFactory in customised automated solutions.

Integration Components

Solution Architecture

System architecture automation for operational processes.

PowerFactory operated in engine mode provides complete PowerFactory functionality for external systems. The engines can be controlled via a PowerFactory ConnectorService, PowerFactory API, DPL or Python scripts. Various interfaces such as CIM, UCTE-DEF, OPC and DGS support bi-directional data exchange with different systems.

The PowerFactory ConnectorService is an ASP.NET Core based Windows Service that allows the user to configure, execute and observe processes running in PowerFactory. It uses a flexible plugin concept: standard or customer-specific plugins are combined and made available to the ConnectorService, so as to meet the needs of the individual customer. The External Application communicates with the ConnectorService e.g. via RESTful API. The ConnectorService component provides access to multiple PowerFactory engines via web services. Built-in queuing and scheduling makes it easy to integrate the PowerFactory engine with other applications. The ConnectorService comes with standard visualisation tools. The status of both the PowerFactory instances and the individual processes as well as additional information, such as calculation results can be monitored.