The Tecnalia Living Lab

Developed at Tecnalia in Spain, this laboratory complements the medium-voltage counterpart at RWTH. This lab is specifically designated for testing component-level control algorithms and new LV devices developed within the Shift2DC project. The facility includes additional connection points to extend the lab for the qualification and testing of new LV devices.

In Tecnalia Living Lab, system-level control architectures for DC distribution networks are investigated and implemented, focusing on the critical trade-offs between power-sharing accuracy, bus voltage regulation, and communication infrastructure reliability across basic and hierarchical frameworks.

Research within the laboratory addresses basic architectures that rely solely on a primary local control layer, utilizing either communication-dependent active sharing methods, such as master-slave, centralized, and average load sharing, or passive, communication-free droop control variants that implement virtual impedance characteristics to manage steady-state and transient power dynamics.