Samuel at 13:00, 22 July 2026

2026-07-22T13:00:50Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:00, 22 July 2026
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	== Open-source electrical network simulation tools ==		== Open-source electrical network simulation tools ==

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	These tools model electrical power networks for buildings, campuses, villages, microgrids and utility distribution systems. They are intended for electrical power engineering, not electronic circuit design.		These tools model electrical power networks for buildings, campuses, villages, microgrids and utility distribution systems. They are intended for electrical power engineering, not electronic circuit design.

Samuel: Created page with "== Open-source electrical network simulation tools == These tools model electrical power networks for buildings, campuses, villages, microgrids and utility distribution systems. They are intended for electrical power engineering, not electronic circuit design. {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Software ! Best suited for ! Main capabilities ! Integration ! Graphical interface ! Licence ! Similarity to EPANET |- | [https://opendss.epri.com/ OpenDSS] | Village grids, microg..."

2026-07-22T12:59:37Z

Created page with "== Open-source electrical network simulation tools == These tools model electrical power networks for buildings, campuses, villages, microgrids and utility distribution systems. They are intended for electrical power engineering, not electronic circuit design. {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Software ! Best suited for ! Main capabilities ! Integration ! Graphical interface ! Licence ! Similarity to EPANET |- | [https://opendss.epri.com/ OpenDSS] | Village grids, microg..."

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== Open-source electrical network simulation tools ==

These tools model electrical power networks for buildings, campuses, villages, microgrids and utility distribution systems. They are intended for electrical power engineering, not electronic circuit design.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Software
! Best suited for
! Main capabilities
! Integration
! Graphical interface
! Licence
! Similarity to EPANET
|-
| [https://opendss.epri.com/ OpenDSS]
| Village grids, microgrids, low-voltage and medium-voltage distribution networks
| Unbalanced multi-phase power flow, time-series simulation, lines, transformers, loads, switches, photovoltaic systems, batteries, capacitors and voltage regulators
| DSS scripts and external simulation interfaces
| No complete EPANET-style graphical editor in the core project
| [https://opendss.epri.com/Licencing.html BSD-style EPRI licence]
| Very high
|-
| [https://power-grid-model.readthedocs.io/en/stable/ Power Grid Model]
| Native C++ applications and distribution-grid calculations
| Symmetric and asymmetric power flow, state estimation, short-circuit calculations and batch calculations
| C++ core, C API and Python API
| No complete built-in graphical network editor
| [https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/MPL/2.0/ MPL 2.0]
| High
|-
| [https://www.pandapower.org/ pandapower]
| Rapid development and electrical-network analysis in Python
| Power flow, optimal power flow, state estimation, short-circuit calculations, topology analysis and time-series simulation
| Python library with table-based network models
| Plotting and third-party graphical interfaces are available
| [https://opensource.org/license/bsd-3-clause BSD 3-Clause]
| High
|-
| [https://www.gridlabd.org/ GridLAB-D]
| Detailed simulation of buildings, consumers and smart grids
| Distribution power flow, household loads, appliances, heating, electric vehicles, photovoltaic systems, batteries, tariffs and demand response
| Native simulation engine with its own model format
| No simple EPANET-style desktop editor in the core project
| [https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/lgpl-2.1.html LGPL 2.1]
| Medium to high
|-
| [https://pypsa.org/ PyPSA]
| Village microgrid planning, generation planning and storage optimisation
| Economic dispatch, optimal power flow, storage optimisation, renewable-energy modelling and capacity-expansion planning
| Python framework using mathematical optimisation solvers
| Network plotting is available, but it is not primarily an interactive editor
| [https://opensource.org/license/mit MIT]
| Low for detailed wiring; high for planning
|}

== Recommendation ==

* '''Closest overall equivalent to EPANET:''' [https://opendss.epri.com/ OpenDSS]
* '''Best native solver candidate for a C++/Qt application:''' [https://power-grid-model.readthedocs.io/en/stable/ Power Grid Model]
* '''Best for rapid Python-based development:''' [https://www.pandapower.org/ pandapower]
* '''Best for detailed building-to-grid simulation:''' [https://www.gridlabd.org/ GridLAB-D]
* '''Best for photovoltaic, battery and generation planning:''' [https://pypsa.org/ PyPSA]

== Approximate EPANET terminology mapping ==

{| class="wikitable"
! EPANET concept
! Electrical equivalent
! Explanation
|-
| Junction
| Bus or node
| Electrical connection point at which lines, loads, generators or transformers meet
|-
| Pipe
| Cable or overhead line
| Carries electrical current between buses
|-
| Demand
| Electrical load
| Consumer of active and reactive electrical power
|-
| Reservoir
| External grid, slack bus or voltage source
| Defines the reference voltage and balances power entering or leaving the network
|-
| Tank
| Battery or energy-storage system
| Stores energy over time, although it is not mathematically identical to a water tank
|-
| Pump
| Transformer or power converter
| Changes voltage level or actively transfers power
|-
| Valve
| Switch, circuit breaker, fuse or voltage regulator
| Controls, disconnects or regulates a connection
|-
| Pressure
| Voltage
| Electrical potential at a bus
|-
| Flow rate
| Current or active/reactive power
| Quantity transported through a line
|-
| Hydraulic simulation
| Power-flow or load-flow calculation
| Calculates bus voltages, line currents, power flows and equipment loading
|}

External:Electric Electric - Revision history

Samuel at 13:00, 22 July 2026