Sections 3 and 4 of this deliverable provide context to the reader in order to understand the functions of Transmission System Operators (TSO) and Distribution System Operators (DSO) and also the need of integration between grid operators. Those sections serve as a basis to reflect that Interoperability among different software components used by different utility operators (TSOs and DSOs) is of capital importance at European level, and so it is for OPENTUNITY. This involves the exchange of up-to-date and reliable topological models of the grid. In those sections it is extracted that CIM is the common topology format for TSOs, that is used for sharing data between them or with their Regional Security Coordinator. However, DSOs are missing a common format. This is due to there are inherent problems linked to the CIM grid modelling that might compromise its widely adoption by DSOs. These can be summarized as follows: Complexity: CIM is extensive; implementation and understanding require expertise. Granularity: Utilities must carefully select which assets to model, because a very fine-grained modelling might take a lot of time. It could even be infeasible case as the DSO might lack the details of the assets deployed several years ago or in a rush. As an example, when modelling LV grids, the cable and wires vary in its physical characteristics depending on the type of cable, brand, whether it is aerial or subterranean, etc. These physical details in the topology affect very slightly the results of the calculations but heavily increase its complexity. Legacy Systems: Mapping CIM to or from older data schemas (proprietary, GIS, SCADA) can be labour-intensive and are prone to errors. Legacy or proprietary systems are quite usual in DSO systems, and no automated conversion to and from CIM is normally possible with such systems, so specific converters are required. Performance: Large, dense urban distribution grids can result in very large XML files, even for small areas. Real-time changes: Handling frequent updates in topology (switching, distributed resources connecting/disconnecting) is an evolving challenge. As an answer to these problems, OPENTUNITY proposes a methodology and a set of tools to facilitate the interoperability of topological models between different software components used by different utility operators, with a focus on the DSO utilities, that lacks a version of CIM that cover its specific topological modelling requirements. The availability of CIM/CGMES importers and exporters is very limited in the software components normally used by DSOs, so in the OPENTUNITY methodology we have opted for a more realistic approach that do not restricts to software components natively supporting CIM/CGMES but also supports other alternatives. So, the methodology proposed is composed by the following elements: A software component that allows converting among different topological data models. This software component has been provided as an open-source component available to the broad audience. The component integrates different open-source available converters and facilitated its usage within the tool. A new tabular/excel data model that allows easily defining the topology has been defined. This is particularly well suited for small distribution networks and is an alternative to other specific and proprietary topology editors. Documentation of the data model Is provided in section “10-Annex 2. Excel topology data modelling instructions.” and make available in an open-source fashion. An on-line topology visualization tool that allows representation of the grid topology in a graphical way. It does not require any previous knowledge on any specific software component, nor require any software license.
Lucas Pons (Fri,) studied this question.