A set of Non-Synthetic test systems of European LV Rural, LV urban and hybrid MV/LV industrial distribution networks

Abstract

The process of electrification and digitalisation that the electricity distribution sector is currently undergoing is a true revolution, imposing more changes in recent years than in dozens of previous years. The electrification process involves the deployment of more and more so-called flexible devices in the distribution network, such as electric vehicles, heat pumps, photovoltaic systems with or without electrical storage. Electrification will bring obvious benefits such as decarbonisation of the energy system and reduction of dependence on fossil fuels, but it is also true that it will put the distribution grid under stress never seen before. The introduction of digital twins for the real-time management of distribution networks, the precise calculation of hosting capacity at each point of the network, the analysis of safety in protections, etc., is already a reality even in low-voltage networks. Some of these methodologies involve the use of precise mathematical models of distribution networks, and this is precisely what is presented in this article. A set of 3 test networks of European type networks, generated with real data representing a 100% urban low voltage distribution system, a 100% rural low voltage distribution system and a mixed medium/low voltage system representing a network in an industrial/commercial environment. As part of the work, OpenDSS models of these networks are attached, which can be of great value to the research community in many types of studies.