DIgSILENT

DIgSILENT
Name	DIgSILENT PowerFactory
Developer	DIgSILENT GmbH
Released	1990s
Latest release	(proprietary)
Programming language	(proprietary)
Operating system	Microsoft Windows
Genre	Power system analysis software
License	Commercial

DIgSILENT is a commercial power system analysis software suite developed by DIgSILENT GmbH used for modeling, simulation, and analysis of electrical networks. It is employed by utilities, consultants, manufacturers, research institutions, and academic programs for steady-state and dynamic studies, integrating with standards and tools across the energy sector. The software interfaces with numerous hardware platforms, regulatory frameworks, and industry projects.

History

DIgSILENT GmbH was founded in the context of European energy sector liberalization and network modernization in the 1990s, interacting with organizations such as Siemens, ABB, Alstom, National Grid, and E.ON. Early collaborations and contracts involved national transmission operators including RTE (Réseau de Transport d'Électricité), TenneT, Amprion, and Red Electrica de España, aligning with regulatory developments like the European Union directives on electricity markets and grid codes. Over time DIgSILENT engaged with international institutions such as the International Electrotechnical Commission, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Cigré, ENTSO-E, and research centers like Fraunhofer Society and RWTH Aachen University. Strategic partnerships and deployments brought interactions with companies including General Electric, Schneider Electric, Hitachi Energy, Mitsubishi Electric, and national utilities such as PG&E, Iberdrola, EDF, RWE, Iberdrola USA, and Hydro-Québec. Project collaborations extended to multilateral programs overseen by World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and Inter-American Development Bank. The product’s evolution paralleled trends represented by initiatives from European Commission, International Monetary Fund, and national energy agencies.

Software and Products

The flagship application provides modules for load flow, short-circuit, stability, protection coordination, harmonic analysis, and market simulation. Integration and data exchange tools support formats and systems from IEC 61850, IEC 62325, CIM, DNP3, Modbus, and OPC UA, and interaction with simulation platforms such as MATLAB, Simulink, PSC‎AD, PSS®E, and OpenModelica. DIgSILENT’s scripting and automation enable interfaces to enterprise systems developed by SAP, Oracle, Siemens Energy control solutions, and SCADA platforms from Schneider Electric and ABB. The product family competes and interoperates within ecosystems that include ETAP, CYME, PowerWorld Simulator, NEPLAN, PSCAD, and GridLAB-D. Vendor collaborations and OEM relationships have involved Honeywell, Hitachi, GE Grid Solutions, and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories.

Power System Modeling and Simulation

The software supports detailed component models for generators, transformers, transmission lines, converters, protection relays, and energy storage from manufacturers such as Siemens Gamesa, Vestas, ABB Power Grids, GE Renewable Energy, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Tesla, Inc.. Studies incorporate renewable integration scenarios involving National Renewable Energy Laboratory, International Energy Agency, DNV, IRENA, and system operators including CAISO, MISO, PJM Interconnection, and ERCOT. Time-domain and frequency-domain analyses follow methodologies promoted by IEEE Power & Energy Society, Cigré Study Committees, and academic groups at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Imperial College London, Technical University of Denmark, and ETH Zurich. Interoperability with testbeds and microgrid projects connected to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, NREL, Fraunhofer ISE, Swinburne University of Technology, and University of Cambridge has supported converter-dominated system research and stability studies.

Applications and Industry Use

Utility-scale transmission planning, distribution network analysis, protection coordination, and renewable generation integration are common use cases adopted by entities like National Grid ESO, Statnett, SSE plc, TransAlta, and CLP Group. Consulting firms such as Deloitte, Accenture, AECOM, Arup, and Mott MacDonald have used the suite in turnkey studies for clients including World Bank projects and sovereign utilities. Industrial and manufacturing customers such as BASF, Rio Tinto, ArcelorMittal, and Toyota apply it for internal power system assessments. Its role in smart grid pilots, microgrid designs, electrification studies, and vehicle-to-grid pilots links to initiatives by Tesla, NIO, Siemens Mobility, and transit agencies like Transport for London and New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority. It is also used in regulatory filings and network code compliance for authorities like Ofgem, FERC, ACER, and national regulators.

Licensing and Development

The software is distributed under commercial licensing models to vendors, utilities, consultants, and academia, with support and training provided through partnerships with training providers and universities such as TU Delft, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Politecnico di Milano, University of Texas at Austin, and University of Manchester. Development workflows include collaboration with open and proprietary toolchains from companies like Microsoft, Intel, NVIDIA, Dell Technologies, and cloud providers including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform for high-performance computing and enterprise deployments. Version control, quality assurance, and verification practices align with frameworks used by industrial software vendors such as IBM, Red Hat, and Atlassian-based toolsets.

Academic and Research Contributions

The platform is widely cited in academic studies and technical reports from institutions including Imperial College London, ETH Zurich, TU Munich, University of Strathclyde, KTH, and national labs like Sandia National Laboratories and Argonne National Laboratory. Research areas include transient stability, converter-driven dynamics, wide-area monitoring and control, and probabilistic planning strategies developed with groups at MIT Energy Initiative, Stanford Precourt Institute, CentraleSupélec, and Politecnico di Torino. Collaborative projects and consortia involving Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, IEA Technology Collaboration Programme, and EERA have used the software for case studies and demonstrations. Peer-reviewed publications in journals from IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, Elsevier, Springer Nature, and conference proceedings from IEEE PES General Meeting, Cigré Session, and European Utility Week frequently reference studies conducted with the suite.

Category:Power engineering software