Project report on the Finnish DSO Caruna – reducing grid bottlenecks through proactive grid planning

As a Distribution System Operator (DSO), Caruna plays a crucial role in implementing the clean transition to achieve Finland’s carbon neutrality targets by 2035. To support this ambitious goal, distribution networks must be developed proactively to prevent them from becoming bottlenecks for other clean transition investments. With tightened regulations and rising cost levels, DSOs in Finland face immense pressure to analyze the status quo of their grids and target enhancements effectively.

This naturally raises the question: how can this be done? Let’s take a closer look at how Caruna, with the help of envelio, is tackling these challenges.

Challenges in the Finnish market

Finland’s energy landscape is evolving steadily, with a significant increase in distributed energy resources. This growth demands greater transparency in the medium voltage (MV) and low voltage (LV) grids to ensure future supply reliability. With the anticipated expansion of charging stations, heat pumps, and distributed generation systems, the risk of grid bottlenecks and the complexity of planning expansion or reinforcement measures also grows.

Therefore, transforming reactive grid planning into proactive processes and improving decision-making with detailed simulations to prioritize the right expansion projects are crucial steps to early identify bottlenecks and reduce grid expansion costs.

Project implementation and key milestones

The collaboration between Caruna and envelio kicked off in August 2022, setting the stage for a proactive approach to grid planning. By November 2022, the first major milestone was reached with the deployment of initial data sets, establishing a robust foundation for detailed simulations and advanced grid studies. This early data integration was crucial for enhancing grid transparency and supporting informed decision-making.

In May 2023, the project saw significant progress with the execution of custom future grid scenarios using envelio’s Intelligent Grid Platform (IGP). Caruna’s team ran multiple simulations to evaluate different grid expansion and reinforcement strategies, helping to identify potential bottlenecks and prioritize impactful projects.

By November 2023, full data synchronization was activated, ensuring continuous real-time data integration and monitoring. This dynamic view of grid performance allowed Caruna to address emerging issues promptly, maintaining grid reliability and capacity.

The onboarding phase concluded in February 2024, marking the transition to regular usage of envelio’s IGP.

Project results

With these milestones achieved, the IGP Grid Hub was successfully implemented, providing transparency across the entire LV & MV grid, including 87% coverage of smart meter data for detailed grid analysis. The digital grid, characterized by high data quality, now serves as a basis for all future evaluations and use cases.

The Grid Study application allows for future grid scenario analysis at a very detailed level within a fraction of the time compared to traditional grid planning processes. This efficiency enables Caruna to target investments more effectively.

Several grid areas were evaluated using the IGP, supporting Caruna’s investment and grid planning processes. These efforts help Caruna anticipate and mitigate potential bottlenecks, ensuring a reliable and efficient grid.

Conclusion

Caruna’s innovative approach to grid planning, with the support of envelio’s Intelligent Grid Platform, is effectively addressing the challenges of a growing and decentralized energy landscape. By enhancing grid transparency, adopting proactive planning strategies, and utilizing detailed simulations, Caruna is reducing bottlenecks and optimizing grid expansion. This strategic effort aligns with Finland’s carbon neutrality targets and ensures a reliable energy supply for the future.

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