Smart Grid Simulator –
Retargeting the HDL Simulator
Srikanth Jadcherla, Vishwanath Sundararaman, Jyothsna Kakarwada, Swapna Lavanuru
Abstract –The electricity network needs to be able
to connect billions of devices and still operate reliably
just like the Internet of today. Because of growing
environmental concerns, the electric grid needs to be
more flexible, accommodate distributed power
generation from renewable sources and use several
energy-efficiency techniques. A number
technologies need to be put in place to make the
power grid smarter, notably more automation within
the network and tools to give end users better
information. The changes have to happen in all
aspects from generation, distribution to consumption.
The Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is an
approach to integrating consumers based upon the
development of open standards. It provides
consumers with the ability to use electricity more
efficiently and provides utilities with the ability to
detect problems on their systems and operate them
more efficiently.
This paper describes a Smart Grid Simulator
methodology that retargets a HDL event driven
simulator to model a flexible, extensible
neighborhood and thereby predicting grid
characteristics like stability, command response and
revenue management. A model of a neighborhood is
built in System Verilog and VMM constrained
random technique is used to create realistic event
profiles for the neighborhood.
I. INTRODUCTION
The idea behind the "smart grid" is to have
devices that plug into electrical sockets and the
appliance plugs into this device. These devices
would communicate and report to the central
authority at what time the appliances were used and
the energy consumption levels. This information is
used to charge for the power consumption based on
peak hour and off peak hour usages. At peak hours
the rates would be higher than the off peak hours.
This would result in generous increases in electric
bills, thus "forcing" consumers to try and save
energy by using as little as possible during peak
hours. The smart grid is the use of digital
technology to modernize the power grid. It
employs innovative products and services
combined with intelligent monitoring, control,
communication, and self-healing technologies to do
the following:
 facilitate the connection and operation of
generators of all sizes and technologies
 allow consumers to play a part in optimizing the
operation of the system
 provide consumers with greater information and
supply choices
 significantly reduce the environmental impact of
the electricity supply system
 deliver enhanced levels of reliability and security
of supply
of
II. ADVANCED
METERING INFRASTRUCTURE (AMI)
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) refer
to systems that measure, collect and analyze energy
usage, from advanced devices such as electricity
meters, gas meters, and/or water meters, through
various communication media on request or on a
pre-defined schedule. This infrastructure includes
hardware, software, communications, customer
associated systems and meter data management
(MDM) software. The network between the
measurement devices and business systems allows
collection and distribution of information to
customers, suppliers, utility companies and service
providers. This enables these businesses to either
participate in, or provide, demand response
solutions, products and services. By providing
information to customers, the system assists a
change in energy usage from their normal
consumption patterns, either in response to changes
in price or as incentives designed to encourage
lower energy usage at times of peak-demand
periods or higher wholesale prices or during
periods of low operational systems reliability.
A. Smart Meters
Smart meters are of advanced metering
infrastructure (AMI) type meters, that provide
communication path from generation plants to
electrical outlets (smart socket) and smart grid
enabled devices. By customer option, such devices
can shut down during times of peak demand.
It is a system which gives information
- On demand reading
- Service disconnection
- Time - of - use
- Load profiling
Remote collection of energy usage data is
made possible with two-way communication
capability. These meters automatically record data
and information and transmit it to some central
location on assigned schedule.
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is an
approach to integrate consumers based upon the
development of open standards. It provides TABLE I
consumers with the ability to use electricity more POWER CONSUMPTION OF A TV
efficiently and provide utilities with the ability to
detect problems on their systems and operate them
more efficiently. AMI enables consumer-friendly
efficiency concepts like “Prices to Devices”.
Assuming that energy is priced on what it costs in
near real-time. A smart grid imperative price
signals are relayed to “smart” home controllers or
end consumer devices like washers/dryers and
refrigerators – the home‟s major energy-users. The
devices, in turn, process information based on
consumer‟s wishes and power accordingly.

III. SMART GRID TECHNOLOGY

- OVERVIEW

More than meters and mobility, the smart grid

represents a whole new framework for improved
management of electric generation, transmission,
and distribution. It also presents challenges. As a
complex system, the smart grid requires special
attention to issues of interoperability, security, and
resiliency. A lot of energy is wasted in this era of
consumer electronics. In a modern household as
much as 40% of the electricity usage could stem
from electronic goods and components. This is a
result of unprecedented proliferation of electronics.

Table 1 illustrates how idle mode energy can go

up to 1/3rd the total energy usage, even though idle
mode power is only 5% of the active power.

Many modern gadgets cannot entirely be turned

off; even when not in use, they draw electricity
while they await a signal from a remote control or
wait to record a television program. All devices
must support multiple modes of operation like
active, standby, low power etc to effectively
address energy wastage. In addition to devices
having different modes, there should also be a
communication channel among all the devices in a
home setup. While some of this is already
supported in home devices, we are fast heading
towards standardized states and control signaling
across manufacturers. Specifically, this
communication between devices will require
significant changes to device command and control
communication. First and foremost, it requires
devices to be „connected‟ – the power grid no
longer delivers electricity, it will be used to
monitor and negotiate energy usage dynamically.
Fig. 1. Communication amongst the devices and the Home
Controller
For example as shown in Fig. 1, a device such as
a TV or a Blue-Ray player receives a command
(especially related to power management) and this
needs to be appropriately communicated to other
connected devices
A. Smart Functionality
Generically, we are likely to see a „Smart‟
functionality, as illustrated in fig 2 along with the
temporal behavior. Further this architecture has to
support device chaining and voltage/current
monitoring. The connectivity of devices is to
ensure that the communications among devices are
enabled. This would require a great deal of
changes in the architecture of the devices both in
the analog and digital side of device operation and
also in the software side of the devices to facilitate
interaction with the grid.

Fig. 2. Smart functionality around the devices
Thus “Smart” functionality represents a
significant load side component that will be
ubiquitous because of its abilities to communicate
power management needs and conditions.
Extending this concept and tying it back to the
Smart Grid development, there is a natural fit
between Smart devices and Smart Grids.
Smart design allows devices to be controlled
from a power consumption angle and to
communicate their status. Smart Grids need to
monitor loads and trigger generators, (especially
peak supply), „purchase‟ additional power or
negotiate some loads down.
B. Smart Models
The Smart Grid Simulator methodology
retargets HDL event driven simulators to model a
flexible, extensible neighborhood and thereby
predicting grid characteristics like Stability,
command response and revenue management. A
model of a neighborhood is built in System Verilog
and VMM constrained random technique is used to
create realistic event profiles for the neighborhood.
Behavioral, configurable models with smart
functionality are developed for household
electronic components namely Television, Washing
machine, Microwave Oven, Ceiling Fan, Toaster
and Air conditioner. The Smart models can operate
in different modes based on the command received
from the Smart Grid and each mode consumes
different amount of power.
The rated power of the Washing Machine is
around 1 KWh in the normal mode of operation
and is 0.3 KWh in the Low Power mode of
operation. Similar modeling is done for all other
components and is then integrated into a home as
shown in Fig 3.
C. Home Controller
The home controller is the Interface between
the smart grid and the home devices. The home
controller controls the flow of information from the
Grid to the devices like asserting the Smart mode
for all the devices and monitoring the power
consumption and performance of all the devices
and feeding this information back to the grid.
Assuming the „allowed power‟, the maximum
amount of consumable power for a home, a value
set by the grid control authority, the home
controller is capable of turning on or off the
devices to meet this limitation. This turning on and
off of the devices is done in the order of device
priority.
When Smart is asserted from the home controller
the devices operate in a low power mode thereby
reducing the power consumed by the devices. The
home controller also monitors the total power
consumed by all the devices by limiting the number
of devices operating at any time so that the total
power consumed does not exceed the allowed
power set for a home. The intelligent home
controller turns on devices based on the device
priority and hence not exceed the allowed power
set for the home. The device has the option of
overriding the Smart there by choosing to operate
in the normal mode. This can cause the total power
consumed by the home to be more than the allowed
power. This information is fed back to the grid
through an Indicator signal.
 When „smart‟ signal is asserted, the devices go to
a low power state (depending on the device level
„override‟ and „respond‟ signals), wherein the
power consumption is very low.

From Fig. 4, the plots of the power consumption

profiles clearly show the variation in the consumed
power with and without „smart‟. The power
consumed reduces in the interval where the „smart‟
is asserted compared to the scenario where „smart‟
is not asserted.

The override signal can be asserted at the home

controller to override „smart‟ and „allowed power‟
limitations, thereby the devices are allowed to
function in the normal mode of operation.
Comparison of the power consumption profiles
with smart and with and without override signal
(Fig. 5), show that the power consumed is higher
when we have an override signal.

Fig. 3. Home Controller and the devices Power (watts)

The home consists of a set of behavioral device

models and the home controller. The model of a
neighborhood is built by instantiating a number of
homes. The rated power for all the devices is
configurable thereby creating a realistic
neighborhood model.

A configurable random System Verilog

testbench is built to simulate the behavior of a
neighborhood over a period of 24 hours.

IV. POWERCONSUMPTION
PROFILE OF A HOME

All the home devices turn on when both the

power on signal at the device level, controlled by
the user and power on signal from the home
controller are asserted. „Power on‟ signal at the Time (10 units = 1hr)
Fig. 4.Power Consumption with and without „smart‟
device level is completely controlled by the user,
and hence are randomly generated in the
simulations, according to their use or timing
profiles.

Power on signal from the home controller is

automatically generated by the home controller for
every change in allowed power and current total
power consumed by the home. It is managed such
that the total power consumption is always lower
than the allowed power unless an override signal is
asserted to ignore these limitations.

In the absence of a „smart‟ signal from the grid

the device operation is dependent only on the
allowed power.
 Power (watts)

FUTURE WORK
Future work involves development of protocols
for communication between the devices involved,
the controllers and the controlling authority or the
grid. Development of a common interface for all
the devices and controllers is already under
consideration.
The elements of distributed generation, like the
solar PVs, DG sets etc. are to be incorporated into
the present set up as sources of power, such that
their inputs would enable competitive revenue
oriented bidding between the distributed, small
scale generation ends and the central controlling
authority.
Also standardized operating states for all the
devices are under development.

Time (10 units = 1hr)

Fig. 5. Power Consumption with „smart‟, with and without
„override‟
V. EFFECT OF SMART ON THE
PERFORMANCE OF A
MICROWAVE OVEN
According to the microwave technology, when the
heating process is carried out at a lower power, the
time taken to cook the same amount of food, to the
same extent, is longer.
Fig. 6 shows the operation of the microwave oven.
When a „smart‟ arrives, the oven functions in a low
power mode, wherein its consumption drops to 200
watts from a rated consumption of 1100 watts, but
the time taken to complete the task is much longer.
1200
Power (watts)
CONCLUSION
The Smart Grid Simulator methodology would
prove to be a very inexpensive technique in
identifying potential ways to manage and reduce
power consumption during the peak hours and
thereby reducing the cost. With appropriate inputs,
this method provides with accurate results without
involving any field trials. With a little refinement in
the methodology, we can open platform for a
competitive, revenue based bidding.
REFERENCES
[1] An Energy Efficient SoC with Dynamic
Voltage Scaling – David Flynn
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_meter
[3] www.oe.energy.gov/Documents
AndMedia/DOE_SG_Book_Single_Pages
(1).pdf

1000 [4] en.wikipedia.org/wiki

/Advanced_Metering_Infrastructure
800
[5] http://amr.byramlabs.com/overview.php
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Time (100 units = 1 hr)

Fig. 6. Effect of „smart‟ on the Power & Time Consumption of a
Microwave Oven