Kognitwin® Grid helps unlock the value of grid data with features like load flow visualisation and analysis, load and production forecasts, and topology and grid alterations. It offers advanced insights to help DSOs (Distribution System Operators) deal with an increasingly complex energy system. To meet the growing demand for energy worldwide, actors in the utilities industry – vendors, grid operators, and digital solution providers – need to work together to speed up the energy transition and maintain grid and energy reliability.
Kognitwin® Grid is the successful result of a 3-year project Kognigrid between Kongsberg Digital (KDI), Microsoft, and Norwegian partners like Statnett and Tensio. Following this project, new research initiatives have been launched to explore the potential of integrated solutions for grid operations. This is an important step towards stronger industry collaboration and much-needed interoperability.
It’s where users can view near real-time, modeled, and predicted states of the power grid through a user-centric map-based application or APIs. Data is displayed in a virtual grid model, offering insights like:
Kognitwin® Grid ingests grid model data, switch settings, and historical load and production measurements from customers. This information is placed in a single cloud-based interface so that users can see a full overview of grid operations digitally. Data from IoT devices can also be ingested. An example: Heimdall Power’s intelligent multi-sensors (Heimdall Neuron) collect data to supply information about several overhead power line parameters like ice monitoring, capacity forecasting, vibration analysis, and Dynamic Line Rating (DLR).
Kognitwin® Grid places this sensor data alongside other data that has been ingested to reflect the grid system and its behaviours. Now users can visualise data and use digital ways of working to better understand grid-related information like:
Kongsberg Digital is currently participating in a research initiative with the Norwegian vendor Heimdall Power and Norwegian DSO Tensio to make data from overhead line sensors available in Kognitwin® Grid. These sensors provide measurements and data related to line conditions, giving DSOs a snapshot of power line conditions in the grid. When sensor data is combined with other relevant grid information (as explained above) it paints a more complete picture of the entire grid system and helps align operations with actual load flow limits.
For grid operators, having this information in the same environment where load flow simulations are available makes it possible to predict and accordingly adjust the load capacity of overhead lines. This helps avoid grid congestion early on and enables optimisation possibilities like lowering the Cost of Energy Not Supplied (CENS) and increasing capacity to meet the growing demand for electrification. Heimdall Power has more than 200 sensors installed in different power grids around the world. Together, these installed sensors have seen an increased line capacity of 33% or more, for over 50% of the time.
Users can set parameters to filter, sort, and display data in the visual grid model according to their preferences to support decision-making tailored to their roles and responsibilities. They can view relevant data in a user-friendly interface and use simulation capabilities to understand the power of their actions and make informed operational decisions for maximum energy utilisation.
“Heimdall Power provides sensors and software designed to integrate with other systems, like Kongsberg Digital’s Kognitwin® Grid. This type of industry collaboration delivers tangible results, and it energises us to keep exploring the many possibilities offered by a digital twin for the distribution grid.”
Ongoing research initiatives are exploring how data from sensors can be used to power advanced simulations in Kognitwin® Grid, enriching the value of vendor partnerships for DSOs. This way, grid operators can be sure that digital twin data is based on near real-time operational circumstances. This part of the research project will focus specifically on Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) data to view grid bottlenecks in Kognitwin® Grid.
DSOs are demanding interoperability in both hardware and software solutions. Together with Heimdall Power, Kongsberg Digital is moving the industry forward by providing an open-standard digital solution for the grid to be utilised to the fullest. It’s changing the way people work today – and this type of digitalisation will continue to be a game-changer for an industry that has a hard time making data useful for grid operations.
Kognitwin® Grid offers grid insights through capabilities like visualisation, topology processing, and forecasting simulations to show near real-time, modeled, and predicted states of the power grid. With just the click of a mouse, users can access this information through a map-based application or through APIs. It gives you the right data in the right context, presented in a user-friendly interface that reduces complexity and offers new ways of working. Kognitwin® Grid provides a full load flow analysis of the entire grid model across all voltage levels and predicts load flow and voltage deviations for the next 48 hours. Increased grid utilisation, optimised investments, improved reliability – it’s everything a smart grid needs. Check it out on the Microsoft Azure Marketplace.
Heimdall Power’s Neuron is a self-powered multisensor mounted directly on the power line. The Neuron conducts a variety of measurements which are transmitted periodically using LTE-M (CAT M1), NB-IoT or LoRa communication to Heimdall Power services hosted by Microsoft Azure. The intelligent IoT sensors work in tandem with our software Heimdall Cloud – powered by machine learning, weather data and advanced modelling – to bring grid companies powerful, real-time insights on the status of their power lines. Insights about Dynamic line rating, line sag, capacity forecast, line vibrations and ice load can be viewed in Heimdall Cloud or easily integrated into other systems like SCADA and digital twins through APIs. Heimdall Power helps digitise the power line to enable more optimal utilisation of existing grid infrastructure. Soon available on the Azure Marketplace.
