Guest Editorial: Special Section on Active Distribution Networks: Markets, Operations, Planning, and Regulation

The power system is in change, and the most fundamental changes are happening in the distribution grid. Formerly passive consumers get active and smart, storage and distributed generation appears, and the “grid edge” is upgraded with Intenet of Things (IoT). Gone are the days where distribution infrastructure consisted of passive assets, dimensioned for the worst case of load. We are now entering a new phase where active distribution grids are operated with the help of local markets, machine learning techniques, and distribution automation. Integrating renewable energy or electric vehicles and electrifying the last remaining fossil applications require a flexible and powerful active distribution grid.