MathWorks, a leading developer of mathematical computing software, is providing probabilistic power flow (PLF) capabilities to enhance the system planning solutions of Eversource Energy, the largest energy utility company in New England. The rapid green energy transition, marked by the rise of electric vehicles, heat pumps, and solar panels, has added uncertainty to power distribution planning. Eversource has built a probabilistic power flow system that enables this Fortune 500 company to handle millions of power grid scenarios and prioritize them based on likelihood and risk.
Integrating renewable energy generation capacity into the grid is a key challenge facing the energy transition in the United States. For example, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) predicts that solar power capacity will increase by 26 gigawatts (GW) in 2025 and 22 GW in 2026. Eversource found that traditional model scenarios are not sufficient to adapt to future system planning. So, the power company integrated PLF automation into its power system analysis. The adoption of PLF automation enables Eversource to simulate multiple scenarios to enhance its distributed modeling capabilities and support investments in necessary data analysis solutions.
The growing demand for modern system planning brings both challenges and opportunities, "said Tony Lennon, Product Marketing Manager for Simscape at MathWorks." Using MATLAB ® With consulting services from MathWorks, Eversource has optimized its infrastructure investments and proactively addressed potential issues to ensure stable and efficient energy supply for customers. ”
MATLAB is the primary environment for Eversource to develop and implement PLF systems. The programming and numerical computing platform provides the necessary tools for numerical parallel processing, enabling efficient process allocation across multi-core CPU and GPU groups. This feature helps Eversource effectively handle large-scale simulations and data analysis. This integration is implemented using MATLAB ActiveX server, allowing direct communication between MATLAB and DNV Synergi Electric Solver without the need for additional programming languages.
MATLAB is also used to implement Monte Carlo simulations, which are crucial for probabilistic modeling. These simulations help Eversource evaluate numerous scenarios by randomly selecting values from the probability distribution of input parameters. In addition, data visualization tools in MATLAB are crucial for interpreting PLF simulation results, enabling power companies to create visual representations of grid performance under different conditions and identify potential issues and areas for improvement.
With an unprecedented energy transition currently underway in the New England region, distribution system planning is more complex than ever before, and it is crucial to ensure safe and reliable services for customers, "said John Kreso, Senior Forecasting and Modeling Engineer at Eversource. Through our new PLF solution, we have reduced simulation time by 95%, evaluated grid reliability, and made data-driven decisions - which have played an important role in optimizing our infrastructure upgrade investments and ensuring our ability to proactively address potential issues. ”
MathWorks is a world leading developer in the field of mathematical computing software. MATLAB from the company is known as the "language of scientists and engineers" and is a programming environment that integrates algorithm development, data analysis, visualization, and numerical computation. Simulink is a modular modeling environment for simulation and model-based design of multi domain and embedded engineering systems. These products serve engineers and scientists worldwide, helping them accelerate their pace of invention, innovation, and development in various industries such as automotive, aerospace, communications, electronics, industrial automation, and others.
