Smart grid architecture for rural distribution networks: application to a Spanish pilot network

This paper presents a novel architecture for rural distribution grids. This architecture is designed to modernize traditional rural networks into new Smart Grid ones. The architecture tackles innovation actions on both the power plane and the management plane of the system. In the power plane, the architecture focuses on exploiting the synergies between telecommunications and innovative technologies based on power electronics managing low scale electrical storage. In the management plane, a decentralized management system is proposed based on the addition of two new agents assisting the typical Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) system of distribution system operators. Altogether, the proposed architecture enables operators to use more effectively—in an automated and decentralized way—weak rural distribution systems, increasing the capability to integrate new distributed energy resources. This architecture is being implemented in a real Pilot Network located in Spain, in the frame of the European Smart Rural Grid project. The paper also includes a study case showing one of the potentialities of one of the principal technologies developed in the project and underpinning the realization of the new architecture: the so-called Intelligent Distribution Power Router.Postprint (published version

Internet of Things-aided Smart Grid: Technologies, Architectures, Applications, Prototypes, and Future Research Directions

Traditional power grids are being transformed into Smart Grids (SGs) to address the issues in existing power system due to uni-directional information flow, energy wastage, growing energy demand, reliability and security. SGs offer bi-directional energy flow between service providers and consumers, involving power generation, transmission, distribution and utilization systems. SGs employ various devices for the monitoring, analysis and control of the grid, deployed at power plants, distribution centers and in consumers' premises in a very large number. Hence, an SG requires connectivity, automation and the tracking of such devices. This is achieved with the help of Internet of Things (IoT). IoT helps SG systems to support various network functions throughout the generation, transmission, distribution and consumption of energy by incorporating IoT devices (such as sensors, actuators and smart meters), as well as by providing the connectivity, automation and tracking for such devices. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive survey on IoT-aided SG systems, which includes the existing architectures, applications and prototypes of IoT-aided SG systems. This survey also highlights the open issues, challenges and future research directions for IoT-aided SG systems

Communication Technologies for Smart Grid: A Comprehensive Survey

With the ongoing trends in the energy sector such as vehicular electrification and renewable energy, smart grid is clearly playing a more and more important role in the electric power system industry. One essential feature of the smart grid is the information flow over the high-speed, reliable and secure data communication network in order to manage the complex power systems effectively and intelligently. Smart grids utilize bidirectional communication to function where traditional power grids mainly only use one-way communication. The communication requirements and suitable technique differ depending on the specific environment and scenario. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive and up-to-date survey on the communication technologies used in the smart grid, including the communication requirements, physical layer technologies, network architectures, and research challenges. This survey aims to help the readers identify the potential research problems in the continued research on the topic of smart grid communications

Performance Evaluation of Communication Technologies and Network Structure for Smart Grid Applications

The design of an effective and reliable communication network supporting smart grid applications requires the selection of appropriate communication technologies and protocols. The objective of this study is to study and quantify the capabilities of an advanced metring infrastructure (AMI) to support the simultaneous operation of major smart grid functions. These include smart metring, price-induced controls, distribution automation, demand response, and electric vehicle charging/discharging applications in terms of throughput and latency. OPNET is used to simulate the performance of selected communication technologies and protocols. Research findings indicate that smart grid applications can operate simultaneously by piggybacking on an existing AMI infrastructure and still achieve their latency requirements

Communication technology selection method for smart energy metering based on analytic hierarchy process

As new communication technologies continue to emerge and the integration of these technologies into the modernization of the electricity grid becomes increasingly necessary, a variety of communication protocols and combinations are being explored for their potential use in the smart grid domain. However, given the multitude of technological possibilities available, choosing the optimal technology capable of adequately addressing the communication requirements of the intelligent grid remains a challenge for utilities. This is due, on the one hand, to the fact that different intelligent grid applications have different qualitative and quantitative communication requirements. Moreover, on the other hand, each technology has advantages and disadvantages concerning its performance characteristics in such requirements. This work uses the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) methodology to select the wireless technology that presents the best performance characteristics concerning determined requirements. For this, a computational algorithm was developed in the Matlab programming environment, through which criteria such as data rate, latency, range, security, reliability, and interoperability were compared to select the best technological alternative among Wi-Fi, ZigBee, Z-Wave, and Bluetooth. Data collected from the literature review, with the performance characteristics of these technologies, were applied in a single case study simulating the practical implementation of this work. Among the analyzed criteria, simulations demonstrated that Wi-Fi was the winning technology alternative with 32.353%, followed by Z-Wave with 29.865% in second place, and ZigBee and Bluetooth were ranked third and fourth with 25.255% and 12.527%, respectively. In addition, sensitivity analysis shows how the AHP methodology can be a feasible alternative to assist decision-making in the smart grid domain.À medida que novas tecnologias de comunicação continuam a surgir e a integração destas tecnologias na modernização da rede elétrica se torna cada vez mais necessária, uma variedade de protocolos e combinações de tecnologias de comunicação vem sendo explorados para a sua potencial utilização no domínio da rede inteligente. No entanto, dada a multiplicidade de possibilidades tecnológicas disponíveis, a escolha da melhor tecnologia capaz de responder, adequadamente, aos requisitos de comunicação da rede elétrica inteligente continua sendo um desafio para diferentes atores interessados. Isto se deve, por um lado, ao fato de diferentes aplicações de rede inteligente terem diferentes requisitos de comunicação, quer sejam quantitativos ou qualitativos. Além disso, por outro lado, cada tecnologia tem vantagens e desvantagens relacionadas com as suas características de desempenho em tais requisitos. Este trabalho, portanto, utiliza a metodologia AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) para selecionar a tecnologia sem fios que apresenta as melhores características de desempenho relativamente a determinados requisitos. Para tal, foi desenvolvido um algoritmo computacional no ambiente de programação Matlab, através do qual critérios tais como taxa de dados, latência, alcance, segurança, confiabilidade e interoperabilidade foram comparados para selecionar a melhor alternativa tecnológica entre Wi-Fi, ZigBee, Z-Wave e Bluetooth. Os dados coletados na revisão de literatura, com as características de desempenho destas tecnologias, foram aplicados num único estudo de caso simulando a implementação prática deste método em ambiente residencial. Dentre os critérios analisados, as simulações demonstraram que o Wi-Fi foi a alternativa tecnológica vencedora com 32,353%, seguido pelo Z-Wave com 29,865% em segundo lugar, e ZigBee e Bluetooth ficaram em terceiro e quarto lugar com 25,255% e 12,527%, respectivamente. Além disso, a análise de sensibilidade, dos resultados, mostra como a metodologia AHP pode ser uma alternativa viável para auxiliar na tomada de decisões no domínio da rede inteligente

The role of communication systems in smart grids: Architectures, technical solutions and research challenges

The purpose of this survey is to present a critical overview of smart grid concepts, with a special focus on the role that communication, networking and middleware technologies will have in the transformation of existing electric power systems into smart grids. First of all we elaborate on the key technological, economical and societal drivers for the development of smart grids. By adopting a data-centric perspective we present a conceptual model of communication systems for smart grids, and we identify functional components, technologies, network topologies and communication services that are needed to support smart grid communications. Then, we introduce the fundamental research challenges in this field including communication reliability and timeliness, QoS support, data management services, and autonomic behaviors. Finally, we discuss the main solutions proposed in the literature for each of them, and we identify possible future research directions

Survey on Wi-Fi and Cellular Communication Technology for Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) in a Developing Economy

Traditional energy meters have suffered from a lack of automated analysis and inaccuracy in reading energy consumption, which has brought about smart metering systems. Developing economies such as in Africa. still experience a setback in electricity monitoring and load distribution because of existing traditional meter systems in use. Communication technologies play an important role to improve the monitoring of energy consumption and ensure a road map toward a smart grid. This paper reviews communication technologies used for Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) emphasizing Wi-Fi and Cellular technologies. Metrics used to evaluate their performance include cost, energy efficiency, coverage, deployment, latency, payload, and scalability. The review presents a benchmark for research on AMI communication technologies in developing economies. When adopted, the expected AMI benefits are reduced energy theft, cost efficiency, real-time analysis, security, and safety of energy supply in developing economies

Future strategic plan analysis for integrating distributed renewable generation to smart grid through wireless sensor network: Malaysia prospect

AbstractIntegration of Distributed Renewable Generation (DRG) to the future Smart Grid (SG) is one of the important considerations that is highly prioritized in the SG development roadmap by most of the countries including Malaysia. The plausible way of this integration is the enhancement of information and bidirectional communication infrastructure for energy monitoring and controlling facilities. However, urgency of data delivery through maintaining critical time condition is not crucial in these facilities. In this paper, we have surveyed state-of-the-art protocols for different Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) with the aim of realizing communication infrastructure for DRG in Malaysia. Based on the analytical results from surveys, data communication for DRG should be efficient, flexible, reliable, cost effective, and secured. To meet this achievement, IEEE802.15.4 supported ZigBee PRO protocol together with sensors and embedded system is shown as Wireless Sensor (WS) for DRG bidirectional network with prospect of attaining data monitoring facilities. The prospect towards utilizing ZigBee PRO protocol can be a cost effective option for full integration of intelligent DRG and small scale Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV)/Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) under SG roadmap (Phase4: 2016–2017) conducted by Malaysia national utility company, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB). Moreover, we have provided a direction to utilize the effectiveness of ZigBee-WS network with the existing optical communication backbone for data importing from the end DRG site to the TNB control center. A comparative study is carried out among developing countries on recent trends of SG progress which reveals that some common projects like smart metering and DRG integration are on priority

Smart Grid Communication Architecture Modeling for Heterogeneous Network Based Advanced Metering Infrastructure

A smart grid is an emerging technology in the power delivery system which provides an intelligent, self-recovery and homeostatic grid in delivering power to the users. Smart grid communication network provides transmission capacity for information transformation within the connected nodes in the network, in favor of functional and operational needs. In the electric grids communication network delay is based on choosing the appropriate technology and the types of devices enforced. In distinction, the combination of IEEE 802.16 based WiMAX and IEEE 802.11 based WiFi technologies provides improved coverage and gives low delay performances to meet the smart grid needs. By incorporating this method in Wide Area Monitoring System (WAMS) and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) the performance of the smart grid will be considerably improved. This work deals with the implementation of WiMAX-WLAN integrated network architecture for WAMS and AMI in the smart grid