SINTEF-NSGL

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Norwegian National Smart Grid Laboratory

TA47 – SINTEF-NSGL 

Location

Sem Sælands vei 13

7034 Trondheim,  Norway 

Description

The SINTEF-National Smart Grid Laboratory (NSGL) is a system-oriented laboratory that provides state-of-the-art infrastructure for Research and Development (R&D), demonstration, verification and testing over a wide range of smart grid use cases. The Laboratory is located in Trondheim, at the campus of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and is jointly operated by SINTEF and NTNU. The laboratory mainly consists of three platforms, namely the smart network testing facility, the smart house demonstration and the distributed energy storage infrastructure.

The core of the NSGL is the smart network testing facility. The facility can provide a flexible and reconfigurable electrical layout for conducting experiments at low voltage levels (e.g., 400 V AC or 800 V DC). The electrical system can be configured to represent a distribution or transmission grid with high penetration of renewable units including storage units and power electronics converters.

The laboratory is equipped to perform real time simulations of electrical systems and their controls. Three OPAL-RT units are available for parallel simulation. This enable the possibility of testing control algorithms or schemes with rapid prototyping techniques. More advanced features are the Hardware in the Loop (HIL) and the Power Hardware in the Loop (P-HIL) based on the OPAL-RT platform and a high bandwidth, six-leg configurable power converter (200 kW) acting as a power interface.

Testing Capabilities

Application areas/Domains supported

  • Smart transmission grids
  • HVDC grids
  • Smart active distribution grids
  • Micro grids
  • Integration of smart grids, smart houses and smart industries integration of renewables (large scale, DG)
  • Smart grid and home automation
  • Smart electricity use
  • Electrification of transport
  • Energy storage in smart grids
  • Energy conversion in smart grids
  • Power system stability in smart grids
  • Monitoring, control and automation in smart grids
  • Communication technologies for smart grids
  • Information security and privacy in smart grids
  • Reliability challenges in smart grids-dependencies of power grid and ICT
  • Smart grid software
  • Big data management and analytics in smart grids

Technical Equipment

The following components are available in the laboratory:

  • Over 250 m2 of laboratory space and possibility of running multiple experiments in parallel
  • OPAL-RT units with cumulatively 10 cores activated
  • 200 kW high-bandwidth power converter operating as a grid emulator (5 kHz large signal bandwidth and 20 kHz small signal bandwidth)
  • Several 20 kW and 60 kW two level converter units including 2 level converters and MMC
  • 50 kW generator-motor based on induction machine
  • 20 kW synchronous generator with a synchronisation panel as in small hydro plants
  • A network equivalent for distribution grids with configurable line impedance and resistance
  • Devices for digital substations (e.g., PMUs, IEDs, PDC)

Additional information

Technology Readiness Level: 7 or above

Special considerations: N/A 

Technology clusters: Energy Storage, Integrated Grids, Offshore Wind, PV

Website: https://www.sintef.no/en/all-laboratories/smartgridlaboratory/

Availability: All year

Provision of tools to prepare data sets in a FAIR way:  Yes 

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