Smart Grid Testing “Smart Grid Testing” group applies industry-oriented research approach to solve complex problems with a focus on real-time systems, co-simulation of multimodal energy systems, flexibility coordination and modular engineering processes. Supported by an extensive laboratory infrastructure, holistic testing and validation with hardware-in-the-loop and co-simulation can be carried out.
Implementing new technologies poses many technical challenges, for example, performance, scalability, interoperability, security, and resource management. New technologies and solutions typically begin with analytical methods, relying on simulation-based system analysis. Testing and validation are then conducted in the realistic laboratory prior the field tests and real deployment. In-between these two steps, new methods with cost-effectiveness and flexibility are needed to deal with system complexity, consisting of hardware and software rather than purely analytical approach alone. Our smart grid test group aims to bridge the research gaps on how to implement new solutions from initial design (i.e., simulation) to field test (i.e., validation). We adopt a holistic approach to ensure highly and secure automated energy system operations.
Real-time systems: Investigating the interaction between hardware and software components through real-time simulation and emulation, ensuring secure, interoperable, robust, and efficient communication for the seamless integration of all system components and processes.
Co-simulation: Co-simulation offers new opportunities for integrating various simulation components by enabling the coupling of different analytic methods using different interfaces to programming languages and paradigms within a simulation environment.
Flexibility Coordination: Coordination of flexibility requires data exchange and communication between players. Effective aggregation methods enhance resilience of flexibility management and coordination among market players.
Virtualized Services: Leveraging virtualization technologies enable fully automated service selection, configuration, parameterization, and execution for smart substation service management. In addition, engineering concepts based on IEC61850 and orchestration software supports the seamless integration across substations.
Holistic Testing and Validation: Transferring new solutions from initial design (e.g., simulation) to field testing (e.g., validation) through a holistic testing and validation, ensuring comprehensive prototype and successful deployment.
Automation laboratory: The Automation Laboratory provides large-scale real-time simulation and co-simulation with software and hardware coupling, offering realistic environments with industrial components and protocols to analyse system interdependencies, integrate new components, and address real-world challenges.
These five research topics complement each other, leveraging the automation laboratory infrastructure to conduct comprehensive research on pioneering technologies for energy systems and test their applicability in the real world.
Research Topics and Research Infrastructure
Real-time System
Real-time commuication simulation and emulation, investingating interaction of hardware and software components in digitalzied energy system. Learn more..
Co-Simulation Multimodal Energy System
Co-simulation enables the coupling of different simulation models and components in order to simulate complex relationships in the energy system. Learn more..
Flexibility Coordination
Effective coordination approaches among grid operators and market players ensure the resilience and stability of the energy system. by enabling real-time data exchange among market players. Learn more..
Virtualized Services in Smart Grids
Leveraging virtualization technologies enable fully automated service selection, configuration, parameterization, and execution for smart substation service management. Learn more..
Holistic Testing and Validation
Advanced holistic testing and validation approaches, ensuring system performance and reliability before deployment. Learn more..
Automation Laboratory
The Automation Laboratory enables large-scale, real-time simulation and co-simulation to analyze system interdependencies. Learn more..
Persons 
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Sharaf Aldin Alsharif
E-Mail: sharaf.aldin.alsharif(at)offis.de, Phone: +49 441 9722-748, Room: Flx-E
K
Dr.-Ing. Jirapa Kamsamrong
E-Mail: jirapa.kamsamrong(at)offis.de, Phone: +49 441 9722-233, Room: E85
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S
Publications
2025
Load-shifting for cost, carbon, and grid benefits: A model-driven adaptive survey with German and Swiss households
Matteo Barsanti and Jan Sören Schwarz and Faten Ghali and Selin Yilmaz and Sebastian Lehnhoff and Claudia R. Binder; Energy Research & Social Science; 01 / 2025
2024
How can Aggregators Improve the TSO-DSO-Customer Coordination in Digitalised Power Systems?
Otte, Marcel and Kamsamrong, Jirapa and Lehnhoff, Sebastian; ISGAN 2024; July / 2024
A Toolbox for Design of Experiments for Energy Systems in Co-Simulation and Hardware Tests
Schwarz, Jan Sören and Perez, Leonard Enrique Ramos and Pham, Minh Cong and Heussen, Kai and Tran, Quoc Tuan; 2024 Open Source Modelling and Simulation of Energy Systems (OSMSES); 09 / 2024
Challenges in Transitioning from Co-simulation to Practical Application: A Case Study on Economic Emission Dispatch in a Greenhouse Compartment
Clausen, Christian Skafte Beck and Lehnhoff, Sebastian and Schwarz, Jan Sören and Jørgensen, Bo Nørregaard and Ma, Zheng Grace; Energy Informatics; 2024
Enhancing Smart Grid Resilience: An Educational Approach to Smart Grid Cybersecurity Skill Gap Mitigation
Pirta-Dreimane, Rūta, Andrejs Romanovs, Jana Bikovska, Jānis Pekša, Tero Vartiainen, Maria Valliou, Jirapa Kamsamrong, and Bahaa Eltahawy; Energies; April / 2024
Hardware-in-The-Loop-Based Validation of Distribution System Control Applications with Grid Operators, Customer and Market Participants
Otte, Marcel and Krüger, Carsten and Das, Pratyush and Rohjans, Sebastian and Lehnhoff, Sebastian; Energy Informatics Academy Conference; October / 2024
Poster Abstract: Coordinating the Heterogeneity of Aggregators in Digitalised Power Systems
Otte, Marcel; DACH+ Conference on Energy Informatics 2024; October / 2024
Poster Abstract: Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation Environment for Validating Distribution System Control Applications
Otte, Marcel and Krüger, Carsten and Das, Pratyush and Rohjans, Sebastian and Lehnhoff, Sebastian; DACH+ Conference on Energy Informatics 2024; October / 2024
Scaling Analysis in a Multi-Energy System
Schwarz, Jan Soeren and Pham, Minh Cong and Tran, Quoc Tuan and Heussen, Kai; 2023 Asia Meeting on Environment and Electrical Engineering (EEE-AM); 01 / 2024
2023
Automated integration process of future automation and monitoring systems in distribution grids
Raczka, Sebastian and Puhe, Frederik and Krueger, Carsten and Arph, Jan and Rehtanz, Christian; ETG Congress 2023; Juli / 2023
