Welcome to the DERSec DER Simulator Documentation

Background

The DERSec DER Simulator is a tool for emulating interoperable distributed energy resource (DER) devices. It provides a comprehensive environment for simulating real-time DER behavior and interoperability scenarios, enabling users to load-test head-end systems and validate compliance with industry standards and protocols.

The simulator demonstrates steady-state IEEE 1547-2018 compliance and exhibits the required behaviors associated with IEEE 1547.1-2020 and UL 1741 SB test conditions.

Supported Device Types

The simulator emulates a range of grid-edge DERs — full per-device documentation is in the Device Types section:

  • PV Inverters — single-, split-, and three-phase, with full I-V curve modeling
  • Battery Storage — single-, split-, and three-phase BESS with bank → string → module → cell hierarchy
  • Wind Turbines — NREL 5-MW reference DFIG (Type III) and IEA 15-MW direct-drive PMSG (Type IV)
  • Fuel Cells — three-phase PEMFC or SOFC stack, generation-only or reversible (PEM/SOEC)
  • DC-Coupled Hybrid — PV + battery sharing one inverter on a common DC bus, with self-consumption / PV-priority / manual dispatch
  • EVSE — AC and DC charge points, single- or multi-port, optionally with bidirectional (V2G) discharge

A diesel generator (genset) is also bundled for reference scenarios where a fossil backup needs to participate in the microgrid model.

Interoperability Capabilities

The simulator implements the protocols a real grid-edge DER speaks against upstream systems:

  • SunSpec Modbus server — northbound to an aggregator. TCP, RTU, and optional TLS (Secure SunSpec Modbus). Vendor → SunSpec translation is available via the Modbus Proxy.
  • IEEE 2030.5 / CSIP client — eastbound to a 2030.5 server using the Common Smart Inverter Protocol information model.
  • DNP3 outstation — westbound to a SCADA master. Standard IEEE 1815 point classes.
  • OCPP charge-point (EVSE devices only) — southbound to a Charging Station Management System (CSMS) over OCPP 1.6j, 2.0.1j, or 2.1, with V2G transaction lifecycle and OCPP 2.1 DER-control support.

Beyond the standards-based interfaces, the simulator exposes its own REST + WebSocket API for scripting and dashboard use — see REST + WebSocket API. The live Swagger UI is at http://<host>:8111/docs on every running instance.

Electrical Capabilities

The simulator updates AC and DC measurement values in real-time, provides nameplate information, and respects the SunSpec 700-series models and associated grid-support functions defined in IEEE 1547-2018:

  • Settings and ratings — maximum power, reactive power, apparent power, power factor range, nominal voltage, etc. See Settings.
  • Active and reactive power control — WSet, WMaxLimPct, and the reactive-power target. See AC Controls.
  • Power Factor — fixed PF mode (SunSpec Model 704), overexcited and underexcited operation.
  • Volt-Var — V → Q curves (Model 705), including modes with VRefAuto.
  • Volt-Watt — V → P curves (Model 706).
  • Watt-Var — W → Q curves (Model 712).
  • Frequency-Droop — Hz → P curves (Model 711) with operator-configurable deadband and slope.

For deeper telemetry — DC I-V curves, log streams, historical windows — the dashboard's Analytics view and the REST API are the entry points.

Installation

The simulator ships as a Docker image, Debian .deb, or OpenWrt .ipk — see Deployment for the form factors and license workflow.

Getting Started

For end-to-end walkthroughs (running from LabTest, scripting, running as a binary), see Getting Started.