Pathways for the Development of Future Intelligent Distribution Grids

Journal article, 2022

The next decade will bring several technical and organisational challenges to the electrical distribution grids, which are becoming an important pillar of the energy transition. Distribution system operators will play a crucial role and thus need to find innovative solutions that will prepare them for these changes. Allowing the variations in the size, organisation and technical characteristics of distribution grids, this paper presents the pathways for the distribution system operators developed within the scope of the UNITED-GRID project. These were developed in close cooperation with distribution grids and demonstration sites in the Netherlands, France and Sweden. Investment decision tools based on future scenarios and future-readiness assessment form the first step to steer the distribution system operators towards the necessary technical and digital innovations that increase the observability and controllability of the grid. Secondly, the guidelines present new types of business models that can be integrated into the operators’ portfolios. Thirdly, a workshop methodology is proposed to define the new internal requirements that make distribution system operators more agile to face the fast impacts of the energy transition. Case studies from the demonstration sites are used as examples in the paper.