Energinet

An ambitious vision becomes reality 

At the turn of the year 2023, Jesper Abildgaard Nielsen from Energinet aired a thought to one of Fellowmind's IT architects: 

"Can we modernize our approach to CPU-intensive net analyses by leveraging modern cloud technologies?" 

A few months later, the question was answered with a clear answer: 

"Yes, we can!" 

Together, Energinet and Fellowmind developed a hypothesis that formed the basis for a Proof-of-Concept (PoC): 

It is possible to use PowerFactory to generate Individual Grid Models (IGM) and perform security analysis in a containerized cloud environment via Microsoft Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), based on Common Grid Model Exchange Standard (CGMES) and Common Information Model (CIM) data exchange. 

The energy sector's paradigm shift and the need for innovation 

When Jesper aired the original idea, it was based on the awareness that Energinet, like all other European transmission system operators (TSOs), was facing an unprecedented challenge in the way energy should be produced and consumed in the future.  

The norms of the past with electricity production at large, central power plants and an easily predictable electricity consumption have already been replaced by large amounts of decentralized and fluctuating production. At the same time, consumption varies more than before, partly as a result of new price structures and taxes. 

This development has only just begun. Within a relatively short time horizon (2030-2050), the entire Danish and European energy system must be transformed, which means that both electricity production and electricity consumption are expected to multiply. Energinet has long been aware of this drastic change and has therefore identified the need for a more data-driven support for decision-making processes in their control centre at an early stage. This control centre plays a crucial role in both the planning and operation of the transmission grid in Denmark. 

In the near future, the new setup for dynamic analyses will allow the control center to support the operation of the transmission grid with a higher resolution and higher speed. This means that operators get an improved overview of the grid's resilience in both current and forecasted operational situations. 

Partnerships and fast execution 

Microsoft and DIgSILENT, the supplier of PowerFactory, quickly joined the project. With their expertise and dedication, Fellowmind's architects and developers developed a functional PoC setup in just a few months. The results were presented to Energinet in May 2023 and were so convincing that Energinet was already ready to implement the technology on a large scale seven months later. 

The technology behind successful network analysis 

The new setup enables automated dynamic grid analysis (RMS) on CIM-based grid models and scenario data. With Fellowmind's help, Energinet has gained a high-performance, scalable system that supports the operators in their daily work.  

The technology behind the solution includes: 

• PowerFactory – Standard Windows Application for net analyses 
• Docker & Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) – Containerization for flexibility and scalability 
• PostgreSQL – Robust database management 
• Azure DevOps - Fully integrated CI/CD pipeline 
• Grafana – Data visualization and analytics 

A new era for Energinet 

With this digital transformation, Energinet is able to support their control center with more advanced and faster analytics. This is crucial at a time when the energy system is undergoing a radical change towards more decentralized and fluctuating production. 

This case is a clear example of how innovative partnerships and cloud technologies can accelerate the development from idea to implementation – and at the same time ensure a more stable and data-driven future for the energy sector.