Integrated rapid prototyping of distributed energy resources in a real-time validation environment

Through the integration of intelligent distributed energy resources extended applications are made available along the whole electricity supply chain. Examples are services to maintain power quality, improve system reliability/stability as well as to reduce costs of generation and supply, and thus allowing an even higher share of DERs in the power distribution grids. Key enablers for these new intelligent systems are recent achievements in information and communication technologies. More than ever it needs to be integrated as a core part of inverter-based distributed energy resource systems. Up to now an integrated design, implementation, and validation approach covering power electronics and information and communication technologies is missing. This paper therefore investigates and demonstrates a rapid prototyping and validation approach addressing all these aspects. Moreover, the applicability of the proposed concept is demonstrated by means of selected examples in the electric power system domain.