The integration of smart grid technologies in interconnected power system networks presents multiple challenges for the power industry and the scientific community. To address these challenges, researchers are creating new methods for the validation of: control, interoperability, reliability of Internet of Things systems, distributed energy resources, modern power equipment for applications covering power system stability, operation, control, and cybersecurity. Novel methods for laboratory testing of electrical power systems incorporate novel simulation techniques spanning real-time simulation, Power Hardware-in-the-Loop, Controller Hardware-in-the-Loop, Power System-in-the-Loop, and co-simulation technologies. These methods directly support the acceleration of electrical systems and power electronics component research by validating technological solutions in high-fidelity environments. In this paper, members of the Survey of Smart Grid International Research Facility Network task on Advanced Laboratory Testing Methods present a review of methods, test procedures, studies, and experiences employing advanced laboratory techniques for validation of range of research and development prototypes and novel power system solutions.

Significant power sector developments beyond 2020 will require changing our approach towards electricity balancing paradigms and architectures. Presently, new electricity balancing concepts are being developed. Implementation of these in practice will depend on their timeliness, consistency and adaptability to the market. With the purpose of tailoring the concepts to practice, the development of a balancing market is of crucial importance. This article deals with this issue. It aims at developing of a high-level economically efficient market design for the procurement of system balancing products within the Web-of-Cells architecture. Literature and comparative analysis methods are applied to implement the aim. The analysis results show that a more efficient balancing capacity allocation process should be carried out in a competitive way with closer allocation time to real-time, especially with increased penetration of renewable energy sources. Bid time units, the timing of the market, procurement and remuneration schemes as well pricing mechanisms are the most decisive elements of the market. Their respective advantages and disadvantages are analyzed in the article, as well as their analysis is done against the selected assessment criteria. The results of the analysis show that seeking to improve the operational efficiency of the market, the sequential approach to the market organization should be selected and short-term market time units should be chosen. It is expected that price efficiency could be improved by establishing an organized market where standardized system balancing products should be traded. The balance service providers, who own capital expenditures (CAPEX) sensitive production units, should be remunerated both for the availability of balancing capacities and for their utilization. Uniform pricing rule and cascading procurement principal should be applied to improve the utilization efficiency.

The increasing deployment of new technologies to contribute to the decarbonization of power systems is imposing new challenges in terms of system dynamics and stability. To deal with different operating and control issues in this sense, and support actual needs, advanced tools and solutions are required. Therefore, this paper presents a digital twin of a dynamic hardware emulator that can be used for controller hardware in the loop (CHIL) testing and is based on a small-scale laboratory system. To build the simulation model, the parameters of involved synchronous machines, excitation systems, prime movers and transmission lines have been identified and then compared to laboratory measurements to assess the accuracy of the digital twin. Static and dynamic accuracy have been investigated and an overall good accuracy can be shown with the help of quantification of errors. Furthermore, a case study is presented where the digital twin was used to design a controller to damp inter-area oscillations with the help of wide area measurements. This controller was then implemented and tested within the dynamic hardware emulator in the laboratory.

The paper is focusing to demand side management platform elaboration for optimal energy management strategies, topicality of smart metering & control including deployment of the price responsive demand. Presented tests are performed in Smart Grid Research Centre research facility Demand Side Management-Smart Home Lab with the aim to achieve the rational use of energy, demonstrate first steps of implementation home automation system with automated energy consumption scheduling units for load flexibility and controllable portion estimation.

A new network operation conditions creates new requirements for transmission planning which include electricity market figures and considerable integration of renewable generation. This paper focuses on transmission expansion planning techniques in a perfect competitive electricity market based on optimal power flows calculations with development planning and sustainability concept. For the proposed concept validation the Garvers's 6-bus test system was used. The simulation and validation results show the possibility of the ACOPF/DCOPF models implementation to transmission planning tasks solution.