individual
What campus are you from?
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Rogelio Gracia Otalvaro, Graduate Student
Lead Presenter's Name
Rogelio Gracia Otalvaro
Faculty Mentor Name
Bryan C. Watson
Abstract
Modern infrastructure systems are becoming increasingly complex due to their nonlinear behaviors and dense interconnections. Power systems, in particular, have evolved into highly coupled cyber-physical networks integrating renewable energy sources, distributed generation, and advanced automation. While these technologies promise cleaner and more efficient operation, they also introduce fragility and new modes of failure. Events such as the large-scale blackout in Spain (April 2025) and the Heathrow power disruption (2025) illustrate how local perturbations can cascade into systemic breakdowns. Traditionally, system behavior was governed by centralized operators who had exclusive access to the analytical tools and data required to understand grid stability. However, with the widespread adoption of rooftop solar panels, battery systems, and local control devices, an increasing number of actors now participate in the energy ecosystem. Despite this democratization, tools for studying power system dynamics remain either highly technical, closed-source, or prohibitively expensive. To address this gap, we present an open-source platform for time-domain simulation of power system resilience. Built upon the Andes simulation engine, the proposed tool includes customized scripts that simplify the process of modeling, simulating, and analyzing system behavior for students, interested stakeholders, and professionals. It enables users to perform engineering design studies and integrate machine learning workflows without costly proprietary software. This initiative aims to make dynamic power system analysis more transparent, accessible, and adaptable to modern engineering education and research focused on resilience and sustainability.
Did this research project receive funding support from the Office of Undergraduate Research.
No
Democratizing Grid Simulation with Open Source Power System tools
Modern infrastructure systems are becoming increasingly complex due to their nonlinear behaviors and dense interconnections. Power systems, in particular, have evolved into highly coupled cyber-physical networks integrating renewable energy sources, distributed generation, and advanced automation. While these technologies promise cleaner and more efficient operation, they also introduce fragility and new modes of failure. Events such as the large-scale blackout in Spain (April 2025) and the Heathrow power disruption (2025) illustrate how local perturbations can cascade into systemic breakdowns. Traditionally, system behavior was governed by centralized operators who had exclusive access to the analytical tools and data required to understand grid stability. However, with the widespread adoption of rooftop solar panels, battery systems, and local control devices, an increasing number of actors now participate in the energy ecosystem. Despite this democratization, tools for studying power system dynamics remain either highly technical, closed-source, or prohibitively expensive. To address this gap, we present an open-source platform for time-domain simulation of power system resilience. Built upon the Andes simulation engine, the proposed tool includes customized scripts that simplify the process of modeling, simulating, and analyzing system behavior for students, interested stakeholders, and professionals. It enables users to perform engineering design studies and integrate machine learning workflows without costly proprietary software. This initiative aims to make dynamic power system analysis more transparent, accessible, and adaptable to modern engineering education and research focused on resilience and sustainability.