Towards a model-driven-architecture process for smart grid projects

Abstract

The complexity in electrical power systems is continuously increasing due to its advancing distribution. This affects the topology of the grid infrastructure as well as the IT-infrastructure, leading to various heterogeneous systems, data models, protocols, and interfaces. This in turn raises the need for appropriate processes and tools that facilitate the management of the systems architecture on different levels and from different stakeholders’ view points. In order to achieve this goal, a common understanding of architecture elements and means of classification shall be gained. The Smart Grid Architecture Model (SGAM) proposed in context of the European standardization mandate M/490 provides a promising basis for domainspecific architecture models. The idea of following a Model-Driven-Architecture (MDA)-approach to create such models, including requirements specification based on Smart Grid use cases, is detailed in this contribution. The SGAM-Toolbox is introduced as tool-support for the approach and its utility is demonstrated by two real-world case studies.