• DNV is able to benchmark its real Power Plant Controller with its in-house generated models in PSSE, PSCAD, Digsilent Power Factory.
• Work is already underway with this simulator to obtain NTS 2.1 certificates in Germany, Spain and Poland.

DNV’s GreenPowerMonitor (GPM), the data-driven digital solution provider for renewable energy plants, has taken an industry-leading step by acquiring and deploying a hardware-in-the-loop simulator (HILS) that will significantly improve the development of its Power Plant Controller (PPC), hybrid control solutions and custom logics.

Hardware-in-the-loop simulation verifies that certified components are fit for purpose in the system for which they are intended; the greater the level of detail that can be achieved in the simulation, the better the result. This cutting-edge simulation capability is mainly used in aerospace and automotive research facilities, but not widely available to certify controller performance in the energy industry.

Thanks to GPM’s new HILS solution, DNV experts are now capable of connecting controllers to simulation environments that can represent any renewable power plant with record accuracy, thus improving plant control solutions. This previously required that a specific model for each software be used to replicate the behaviour of the PPC.

The recent HILS upgrade will boost GPM’s capability to deploy robust control solutions for renewable energy plants, and to benchmark real PPC with models generated in PSSE, PSCAD and Digsilent Power Factory, thus greatly reducing grid integration studies in projects’ early stages.

The integration of this innovative technology results from GPM Grid Integration Department’s extensive research, which had already led in 2021 to advancements in power oscillation damping and a whitepaper on the future of grid stability.

“We believe that digitalization is key to make the energy transition successful, as energy systems are becoming increasingly complex and operators now have to handle a large mix of technologies as we move towards a cleaner future says Juan-Carlos Arévalo, chief executive officer of GreenPowerMonitor, a DNV company.

The energy industry needs help to optimize this integration, continues Arévalo, our mission is to support a fast and efficient shift to green power, by providing intelligent tools to the energy industry. We offer digital solutions that are designed to be flexible and scalable to collect and manage data from multiple assets and multiple technologies, so we can help customers grow and explore more diverse and greener power sources”.

GPM’s Power Plant Controller with this HIL simulator is on its way to obtain the Germany, Poland and Spanish NTS 2.1 certificate.