VILLASnode-based Co-simulation of Local Energy Communities

In this paper, a flexible co-simulation environment that allows to test the coupling among different energy communities is presented. The presented solution allows each community to simulate its system and the coupling with the others, with the desired level of detail, while preserving the share of sensitive information. The tests have been conducted by connecting the laboratories of Forschungszentrum Jülich and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology by means of VILLASnode. The campuses of the two research centers are considered as local energy communities (LECs) under tests with an interconnecting transmission grid, and different test scenarios have been considered. The results show a successful co-simulation of the LECs through heterogeneous digital real-time simulators, as well as limitations regarding the modeling of dynamic loads by controlled current sources.