feat(gridpool): add gridpool definition to v1alpha8 (#423)

Introduce Gridpool message with id and name fields. A gridpool
represents
an assigned group of microgrids for the purpose of energy trading.

Author: sandovalrr

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -45,6 +45,42 @@ etc.) in one go too:
 python -m pip install -e .[dev]
 ```
 
+### Adding new proto files
+
+When you create a new directory or add proto files in the `/proto/*` directory
+structure, you **must** create a corresponding `__init__.py` file in the
+matching `/py/*` directory path.
+
+For example, if you add a new proto file at:
+```
+proto/frequenz/api/common/v1/new_module/example.proto
+```
+
+You need to create:
+```
+py/frequenz/api/common/v1/new_module/__init__.py
+```
+
+**Why is this required?**
+
+Python requires `__init__.py` files to treat directories as packages. Without
+these files:
+- The generated Python code from your proto files won't be importable
+- The package hierarchy won't be recognized by Python
+- Import statements will fail when trying to use the generated protobuf bindings
+
+The `__init__.py` file should include:
+- A license header (see existing files for the template)
+- A docstring describing the module's purpose
+
+**Example `__init__.py` content:**
+```python
+# License: MIT
+# Copyright © 2025 Frequenz Energy-as-a-Service GmbH
+
+"""Description of what this module provides."""
+```
+
 If you don't want to install all the dependencies, you can also use `nox` to
 run the tests and other checks creating its own virtual environments:
 

RELEASE_NOTES.md

@@ -2,34 +2,6 @@
 
 ## Summary
 
-This release introduces the new `v1alpha8` version of the API, which includes several breaking changes compared to `v1alpha7`. The changes focus on improving consistency and clarity by renaming several symbols and removing unused components.
+## Features
 
-## Upgrading
-
-- A new package `frequenz.api.common.v1alpha8` has been introduced, containing the following breaking changes from `v1alpha7`.
-
-- Removed:
-
-    + `electrical_components.Fuse`
-    + `InverterType.INVERTER_TYPE_WIND_TURBINE`
-
-- Renamed several symbols to increase consistency and clarity:
-
-    + `microgrid`:
-
-        * `MicrogridComponentIds` to `MicrogridElectricalComponentIds`
-        * `MicrogridComponentIDs.component_ids` to `MicrogridElectricalComponentIds.electrical_component_ids`
-
-    + `electrical_components`:
-
-        * `ElectricalComponentConnections.source_component_id` to `ElectricalComponentConnections.source_electrical_component_id`
-        * `ElectricalComponentConnections.destination_component_id` to `ElectricalComponentConnections.destination_electrical_component_id`
-        * `ElectricalComponentStateSnapshot.component_id` to `ElectricalComponentStateSnapshot.electrical_component_id`
-        * Transformer-related terms are renamed to align them with power transformers, which are more commonly used in electrical engineering:
-            * `electrical_components.VoltageTransformer` to `electrical_components.PowerTransformer`
-            * `ElectricalComponentCategorySpecificInfo.kind.voltage_transformer` to `ElectricalComponentCategorySpecificInfo.kind.power_transformer`
-            * `ElectricalComponentCategory.ELECTRICAL_COMPONENT_CATEGORY_VOLTAGE_TRANSFORMER` to `ElectricalComponentCategory.ELECTRICAL_COMPONENT_CATEGORY_POWER_TRANSFORMER`
-
-    + `types`:
-
-        * The whole package has been renamed to `types` to avoid using reserved keywords in programming languages.
+- Add `gridpool.Gridpool` message type to `v1alpha8`, defining a gridpool as an assigned group of microgrids for the purpose of energy trading.

proto/frequenz/api/common/v1alpha8/gridpool/gridpool.proto

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+// protolint:disable MAX_LINE_LENGTH
+// Frequenz gridpool definition.
+//
+// Copyright 2025 Frequenz Energy-as-a-Service GmbH
+//
+// Licensed under the MIT License (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+
+syntax = "proto3";
+
+package frequenz.api.common.v1alpha8.gridpool;
+
+
+// Gridpool contains details of a specific gridpool. 
+// A gridpool is an assigned group of microgrids for the purpose of energy trading.
+message Gridpool {
+  // A unique identifier for the gridpool.
+  uint64 id = 1;
+
+  // The name of the gridpool.
+  string name = 2;
+}

py/frequenz/api/common/v1alpha8/__init__.py

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 # License: MIT
 # Copyright © 2025 Frequenz Energy-as-a-Service GmbH
 
-"""Frequenz common gRPC API and bindings for v1alpha7."""
+"""Frequenz common gRPC API and bindings for v1alpha8."""

py/frequenz/api/common/v1alpha8/gridpool/__init__.py

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# License: MIT
+# Copyright © 2025 Frequenz Energy-as-a-Service GmbH
+
+"""Gridpool bindings for Frequenz common gRPC API."""