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Energy · head to head

PowerFactory DIgSILENT vs Novity

PowerFactory DIgSILENT logo

PowerFactory DIgSILENT

Energy

Advanced power system analysis and grid simulation

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Novity logo

Novity

Energy

Hybrid physics and machine learning prognostics that estimate remaining useful life for process equipment

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: PowerFactory DIgSILENT no prices are published; the product pages only offer Request a Quotation and Demo Request; Novity novity is a small venture-backed company with a strategic investor rather than a profitable business, so continuity risk is real and the Tokyo Gas investment signals a likely eventual acquisition that would reset the roadmap.
  • They diverge on capability: PowerFactory DIgSILENT covers Load flow calculation, Novity covers TruPrognostics engine.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PowerFactory DIgSILENT and Novity actually diverge.

Attributes where PowerFactory DIgSILENT and Novity differ
AttributePowerFactory DIgSILENTNovity
PlatformsWindows, Linux, ApiWeb, Cloud
Founded1985Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Energy).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in PowerFactory DIgSILENT

  • Load flow calculation
  • Short-circuit analysis
  • RMS and EMT simulation
  • Harmonic analysis
  • Stability analysis
  • Protection coordination
  • Renewable energy integration
  • Scripting and automation

Only in Novity

  • TruPrognostics engine
  • Cold-start modelling
  • Fault mode diagnosis
  • Remaining useful life
  • Existing sensor reuse
  • Recommended actions
  • Historian connectors
  • Asset class libraries

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

PowerFactory DIgSILENT

  • Power system load flow, short circuit and stability analysis for transmission and distribution networksnot Novity
  • Grid code compliance studies and protection coordinationnot Novity
  • Modelling renewables and distributed generation integrationnot Novity

Novity

  • A gas processing plant that needs a defensible time-to-failure number before deferring a turnaroundnot PowerFactory DIgSILENT
  • An LNG terminal with critical compressors and no run-to-failure history to train a conventional modelnot PowerFactory DIgSILENT
  • A wastewater operator whose existing vibration alarms are ignored because they carry no severity or horizonnot PowerFactory DIgSILENT
  • A generator operator supplying data centre load where an unplanned trip carries contractual penaltiesnot PowerFactory DIgSILENT

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

PowerFactory DIgSILENT

  • No prices are published; the product pages only offer Request a Quotation and Demo Request
  • The commercial licence is sold by node count, in tiers of 100, 250, 500 or unlimited nodes
  • Functions are sold as a configurable package rather than included, so advanced modules are priced separately
  • Support, maintenance and upgrades are included only for the first 12 months of a perpetual licence and then require an annual maintenance contract
  • The number of concurrent users on the Multi-User Edition is limited to the number of licences purchased
  • A floating licence used on a local machine is time limited to a maximum of 30 days
  • Centralised project data on Oracle, SQL Server or PostgreSQL requires the Team Edition; Single-User and Multi-User editions use a local SQLite database
  • Education licences are capped at 50 nodes and forbid commercial use
  • Student licences are capped at 50 nodes, are cloud softkey only and expire 12 months from issue

Novity

  • Novity is a small venture-backed company with a strategic investor rather than a profitable business, so continuity risk is real and the Tokyo Gas investment signals a likely eventual acquisition that would reset the roadmap.
  • Physics-based models must be configured per equipment class, so each new asset type is an engineering engagement rather than a configuration screen, and rollout speed is limited by Novitys own capacity.
  • Prognostics depend on the quality and sampling rate of your historian data; plants recording ten-minute averages will not get useful remaining-useful-life estimates without new instrumentation.
  • Nothing about pricing is published and there is no self-service entry point, so evaluation always starts with a sales-led pilot on a handful of assets.
  • The deployment footprint is concentrated in oil and gas, LNG and water, so reference customers and pre-built asset models outside those industries are limited.

Pricing, plan by plan

PowerFactory DIgSILENT

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the PowerFactory DIgSILENT review.

Novity

On request
  • TruPrognostics$undefined/year
    • Quoted per asset class and monitored equipment count
    • Model configuration and commissioning quoted as a project
    • Typically an annual subscription tied to a pilot then a rollout

Which should you pick?

Choose PowerFactory DIgSILENT if

  • You need load flow calculation.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Api.
  • You also want short-circuit analysis.
PowerFactory DIgSILENT review

Choose Novity if

  • You need truprognostics engine.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want cold-start modelling.
Novity review

Questions people ask

Is PowerFactory DIgSILENT or Novity better?
Neither clearly leads. PowerFactory DIgSILENT starts at On request and Novity at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PowerFactory DIgSILENT or Novity?
PowerFactory DIgSILENT starts at On request and Novity at On request.
Does PowerFactory DIgSILENT or Novity run on more platforms?
PowerFactory DIgSILENT runs on Windows, Linux, Api. Novity runs on Web, Cloud.
What is PowerFactory DIgSILENT best used for?
PowerFactory DIgSILENT is most often used for power system load flow, short circuit and stability analysis for transmission and distribution networks, grid code compliance studies and protection coordination, modelling renewables and distributed generation integration. Of those, power system load flow, short circuit and stability analysis for transmission and distribution networks and grid code compliance studies and protection coordination are not what Novity is typically brought in for.
What can PowerFactory DIgSILENT do that Novity cannot?
PowerFactory DIgSILENT covers Load flow calculation, Short-circuit analysis, RMS and EMT simulation, Harmonic analysis. Novity covers TruPrognostics engine, Cold-start modelling, Fault mode diagnosis, Remaining useful life.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PowerFactory DIgSILENT: How does DIgSILENT PowerFactory licensing work?

PowerFactory offers flexible software editions and licensing options. Customers must request a quotation from DIgSILENT to get pricing based on their specific needs and applications. A demo request option is also available.

Source
Novity: What does Novity actually output?

A named failure mode and an estimated remaining useful life with a confidence band, not just an anomaly alert.

PowerFactory DIgSILENT: What training and support does DIgSILENT offer?

DIgSILENT provides training courses that can be booked directly. Customers also have access to a knowledge base, license migration assistance, and customer portal. Support services include consulting, testing and certification, and IT projects.

Source
Novity: Do we need failure history to train it?

No. The physics component is what lets it produce useful prognostics on equipment with little or no run-to-failure data.

PowerFactory DIgSILENT: Is there a demo version available?

Yes, DIgSILENT offers demo requests for PowerFactory and StationWare products. Prospective customers can contact DIgSILENT directly to schedule a demonstration of the software capabilities.

Source
Novity: Do we need new sensors?

Often not. It reads from your existing historian, but low sampling rates or missing measurements can require additional instrumentation.

Novity: Who backs the company?

It was spun out of Xerox PARC and took a strategic investment from Acario Innovation, the venture arm of Tokyo Gas, in 2026.

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