MOSCOW (MRC) -- Bentley Systems
announced the availability of OpenUtilities™ DER Planning & Design
Assessment Solutions, the latest of Bentley’s electric utility software
offerings that provide decision support and cost-based models and simulations
for Distributed Energy Resources (DER) integration, as per
Hydrocarbonprocessing.
In partnership with Siemens’ Digital Grid business
unit, OpenUtilities Solutions for DER empowers electric utilities, electricity
suppliers, and distribution network operators (DSO) with software applications
to analyze, design, and evaluate DER interconnection requests through desktop
and cloud-based services, while supporting the reliability and resilience of
network operations. OpenUtilities Solutions for DER create automatic network
analysis models for Siemens’ PSS®SINCAL with the integration of GIS-based
network data (including ESRI, GE, and Smallworld).
The solutions generate
an electrical digital twin for utilities – a GIS digital twin that enables
owner/operators to more efficiently model the grid for decentralized energy
without compromising safety and reliability. Some of the major challenges
utilities encounter with DER integration are system complexity, increased
regulatory requirements, high customer demand, and cost management. Digital
twins can provide huge efficiencies in grid operations by streamlining DER
interconnection applications with optimized workflows to better assess
operational impacts, long-term strategic scenarios and investment
decisions.
With the increasing penetration of DER into the grid,
utilities need digital applications to handle the increasing demand for DER
interconnections and collaborate across work groups. OpenUtilities DER
Optioneering offers a cloud-based decision support initial screening and
supplemental screening mechanism to evaluate DER interconnection requests using
validation checkpoints and hosting capacity analysis. Utilities can benefit from
this fast-track interconnection procedure to readily approve DER applications or
to defer them to power systems planners to conduct further studies and impact
analysis. The application provides a practical and cost-effective method to
streamline and automate the DER approval process without always having to
involve costly engineering resources and expedite the interconnection request
process. It enables non-engineering staff and managers alike to effectively
manage DER interconnection applications while adhering to complex regulatory
requirements for DER permits. |