Digital Twin of the Distribution Grid

Core Functions of a Digital Twin

• Real-time monitoring: Visualization of the current grid status based on sensor data and system models.
• Simulation and forecasting: Analysis of future grid states and behavior under various scenarios.
• Transparency: Improved traceability and oversight of grid operations.
• Data aggregation: Consolidation of information from various sources for better decision-making.
• Enhanced representation of real grid conditions: More accurate modeling to optimize grid control measures.

The power system is one of the most complex physical infrastructures ever built by humankind. Digital twin technology offers enormous potential to transform this system by making its complexity intelligible and turning it into actionable insights.

The concept of the digital twin is considered a key enabler of so-called Smart Grids, facilitating dynamic monitoring, evaluation, and superior decision-making capabilities.

With a digital twin, traditionally manual and error-prone tasks such as stability analysis, bottleneck detection, grid planning, and supply modeling can now be largely or even fully automated.

Benefits and Use Cases of Digital Twins

#1: Increasing the levels of transparency to ensure overall grid stability 

The increasing presence of rooftop solar, heat pumps and e-chargers adds to the complexity of a grid network topology in the way grid operators have never experienced before; the energy system becomes increasingly interconnected and integrated.

In this context, an electrical digital twin can play a crucial role in managing and ensuring a smooth operation of such a complex system by allowing grid operators to monitor the resilience of their network.

For instance, provided that there is enough monitoring data in real time - for example from residential smart meters or substations -, controllers can use the digital twin of their distribution power grid to get a comprehensive overview of the grid status in a certain area. This way they are able to step in faster and regulate voltages through inverters or other remotely operated systems in order to alleviate or even prevent grid congestion. 

#2 Prioritizing needs and investment for grid reinforcement and grid expansion 

An electrical digital twin can also help grid operators plan grid reinforcement and grid expansion measures, as well as support maintenance of grid assets. By combining current grid data with historical information and detailed virtual models, the operator can analyze, or in some cases even predict, the health of the grid and its assets and take proactive measures.

Particularly in grid planning, both operational and strategic, it is imperative to have accurate and complete models of the existing grids. With this in mind, the digital twin combines the physical models of a given power grid network with the relevant process and environment data, thus offering a nearly perfect virtual copy of the real grid.

This allows grid operators to simulate certain experiments such as potential grid reinforcement measures - for example, virtually replacing current underground cables with more powerful ones - evaluate various scenarios and their potentials and after that, closely analyze the implementation pathways in a safe, staged environment.

In addition to that, by gaining a more holistic overview of the current and planned locations of various alternative power generators and consumers as well as their input power and output power data, distribution grid operators can more effectively prioritize the grid expansion needs and measures. In turn, this allows for more efficient planning and investment. 

#3 Providing more automation to counteract the impact of the skills shortage

Oftentimes, ensuring reliable power supply requires quick decision-making - for instance, to apply the right voltage stability control action in case of emergency and thus prevent voltage collapse. In the past, experienced grid planners were fully trusted to make quick, high-quality decisions. They relied on their gut feeling to guide the decisions about what to build, when to build and where to build.  

However, the increasing grid complexity, an aging and retiring workforce, and the efforts to transition the electrical grid to the new digital era, leading to an ever-growing stream of data, create completely new challenging situations. In fact, the recent Power Grids Research Report by DNV placed the issue of skills shortages and aging workforce in the top five of barriers to a faster energy transition. 

In situations, when a critical decision need to be made fast, a digital twin of a grid can be used as an advisor and a support tool for less experienced workers. To enable the digital twin to be as helpful as possible, providing accurate and clean data as a basis is key. They allow for event-driven automation: the digital twin updates and reacts in real time to system changes, either solving issues autonomously or supporting operators with recommendations.

While grid simulations are becoming more accurate, expert validation and critical human oversight remain crucial.

Key Benefits of Digital Twins at a Glance: 

• Greater operational efficiency through data-based
• Lower maintenance costs via early anomaly detection
• Improved grid stability thanks to predictive analytics
• Higher degree of automation, reducing staffing needs

Why Digital Twins Matter for The Operation of Distribution Grids

As energy systems become more complex, managing data from decentralized resources, IoT-enabled devices, and smart meters becomes a major challenge. There is still limited transparency about the grid state, especially at the low voltage level.

Digital twins enable precise modeling of potentially critical grid areas, helping operators avoid bottlenecks and make informed decisions on where reinforcements are needed the most. They aggregate data from smart meters, GIS, ERP, SCADA, ADMS, and other systems into one reliable source of truth.

A computational grid model built on a digital twin also allows for dynamic reaction to events like weather changes or demand fluctuations, improving situational awareness and planning accuracy.

The energy transition is underway, but utilities face immense pressure to implement changes quickly and cost-effectively. Digital twins help integrate all components of the energy system — from renewables to prosumers — and offer a powerful solution to support distribution grid operators in overcoming today’s challenges.