Evaluating Technology Impacts on the Distribution System: PNNL’s GridLAB-D Simulation Tool

Historically, the inability to effectively model and evaluate smart grid technologies has been a barrier to adoption. GridLAB-D, a distribution technology simulation software tool developed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Electricity, aims to help users overcome this challenge by providing valuable modeling information to those that want to take advantage of smart-grid technologies. The GridLAB-D software has been used to evaluate many technologies, such as demand response strategies, photovoltaic deployment impacts, smart inverter control strategies, and distribution automation impacts. Many of these evaluations were accomplished on an openly-available representative set of distribution feeders, as was done for the evaluation of many Smart Grid Investment Grant technologies and studies for the California Solar Initiative.

On this webinar, Frank Tuffner, a Research Engineer at PNNL, presented the GridLAB-D simulation software tool and discussed its potential applications.

This webinar was presented by CESA as part of CESA’s Multistate Initiative to Develop Solar in Locations that Provide Benefits to the Grid.