The energy transition is driving an increased need for grid expansion and placing greater demands for grid planning. Key challenges include:
- Grid planning is becoming a mass process, as grid expansion is required much more frequently, pushing manual planning processes to their limits.
- Finding solutions is becoming more complex, with significantly more alternatives available than ever before, making it difficult to conduct thorough scenario evaluations.
- A fragmented tool landscape and inconsistent data make it challenging to create, use, and maintain future grid configurations.
- Growing regulatory pressure is further increasing the need for a digitized and systematic grid expansion planning approach.
Grid operators are required to proactively identify the need for grid expansion, assess the potential for flexibility, and optimize planning processes. Endless spreadsheets are no longer enough. Furthermore, the full potential of grid expansion strategies that would systematically prioritize optimization and reinforcement before considering expansion often remains untapped. What’s missing is an efficient end-to-end process that combines strategic and operational planning.
A bidirectional integration with operational grid planning bridges exactly this gap: future grid configurations can be seamlessly used and continuously refined within operational planning processes. At the same time, operational insights feed back into strategic planning – resulting in validated, actionable, and always up-to-date future grid models.
Instead of isolated point solutions, the envelio Strategic Grid Planning app creates a continuous, data-driven process. Leveraging artificial intelligence and a self-learning algorithm, it helps you optimize your grid infrastructure using the approach that prioritizes optimization and reinforcement options over actual expansion. And the combination of automated analysis and manual adjustment options makes strategic grid planning easier and more flexible than ever.
What you can use the Strategic Grid Planning app for
The app enables you to develop technically validated and economically optimized future grid configurations for target milestone years across your entire medium-voltage grid area. You can transparently compare different planning scenarios and prioritize portfolios of measures based on technical, regulatory, and economic criteria.
Creating and managing future grid configurations in medium voltage
Your workflow begins with a centralized overview of all strategic grid planning projects. Using filters (e.g., by year, grid area, or processing status) and a search feature, projects can be quickly located. Recently edited grid configurations are directly accessible.
Creating a new future grid configuration starts by selecting the current grid state, defining the target year and, optionally, importing a supply scenario from an existing grid study.
The scenario can be created manually in the IGP or automated via an API. Users can apply different automated distribution methods as well as detailed node-specific allocations for new consumers or generators. All planning states are stored with version control, including a full history and documentation of decision-making processes.
AI-based algorithm for creating optimal future grid scenarios
To efficiently evaluate possible future grid scenarios, heuristic methods are combined with technical simulations. The AI-based algorithm continuously learns from each planning scenario: it systematically analyzes successful expansion strategies, identifies patterns and interdependencies between different reinforcement measures, and generates increasingly precise solution proposals with each iteration.
This learning-based probability distribution ensures that only technically and economically promising options are simulated and validated. This creates a strong balance between computational effort and solution quality – a key advantage when planning for large grid areas and complex planning scenarios
Simple and flexible target year analysis (e.g., 2030, 2035, 2045)
With the Strategic Grid Planning app, you can run sequential target year analyses to systematically develop long-term expansion pathways. This approach provides a consistent view of grid development across multiple time horizons, from the early identification of future grid expansion needs and the evaluation of alternative development paths to deriving sound investment decisions in line with regulatory requirements.
You can simulate different best- and worst-case scenarios by flexibly switching between various supply scenarios for each target year. New insights can also be incorporated into the underlying scenarios at any time. In this way, target year analysis becomes an integral part of a long-term grid planning process that is scalable, transparent, and compliant with all relevant regulations.
Transparent analysis, evaluation, and manual fine-tuning of automated measures
Measures proposed automatically by the algorithm are clearly visualized in the results view and can be systemically analyzed there. Individual measures or entire groups of measures can be flexibly adjusted, grouped, or prioritized manually.
You can also directly compare different future grid models and seamlessly transfer them into downstream planning or decision-making processes. The result is an efficient combination of automation and planning expertise.
Already convinced? Then contact us for more information and a live walk-through:
Here's how the Strategic Grid Planning app supports you in your work:
Automation of complex planning processes
Efficient and transparent grid optimization through algorithmic analysis and automated generation of alternative scenarios.
Cost-effective and robust expansion decisions
Assessment and comparison of variants based on the strategy that prioritizes optimization and reinforcement options over expansion, enabling technically validated and economically sound portfolios of measures.
Auditability and regulatory compliance
Version control, documentation, and standardized exports make it easier to meet regulatory requirements and support compliance with national and international standards.
Free Live-Demo
Whether it’s grid connection checks, grid planning, or monitoring – experience in a personalized live demo how our platform helps you actively tackle the challenges of the energy transition.
Simply fill out the form and choose your preferred time slot – you’ll receive an instant confirmation email. Please note that we will check the availability of our team and may follow up with an alternative if no sales manager is available at the selected time.
