An FMI-compliant Co-simulation Approach for Smart Grid ICT Assessments

Information and communications technology (ICT) is a key enabler for Smart Grid applications, enabling advanced automation solutions for the operation of electrical power systems. Therefore, it is of great importance for research and development related to Smart Grids to accurately assess the interaction between electrical power systems, communication networks and automation systems. This work presents a co-simulation approach based on the Functional Mock-up Interface (FMI) specification that uses ns-3, a state-of-the-art communication network simulator, for such Smart Grid ICT assessments. To demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach, it is applied in a case study that assesses the impact of a communication network on the actuation pattern of a coordinated voltage controller (CVC).