Smart Grid Communications: Overview of Research Challenges, Solutions, and Standardization Activities

Optimization of energy consumption in future intelligent energy networks (or Smart Grids) will be based on grid-integrated near-real-time communications between various grid elements in generation, transmission, distribution and loads. This paper discusses some of the challenges and opportunities of communications research in the areas of smart grid and smart metering. In particular, we focus on some of the key communications challenges for realizing interoperable and future-proof smart grid/metering networks, smart grid security and privacy, and how some of the existing networking technologies can be applied to energy management. Finally, we also discuss the coordinated standardization efforts in Europe to harmonize communications standards and protocols.Comment: To be published in IEEE Communications Surveys and Tutorial

A survey on cyber security for smart grid communications

A smart grid is a new form of electricity network with high fidelity power-flow control, self-healing, and energy reliability and energy security using digital communications and control technology. To upgrade an existing power grid into a smart grid, it requires significant dependence on intelligent and secure communication infrastructures. It requires security frameworks for distributed communications, pervasive computing and sensing technologies in smart grid. However, as many of the communication technologies currently recommended to use by a smart grid is vulnerable in cyber security, it could lead to unreliable system operations, causing unnecessary expenditure, even consequential disaster to both utilities and consumers. In this paper, we summarize the cyber security requirements and the possible vulnerabilities in smart grid communications and survey the current solutions on cyber security for smart grid communications. © 2012 IEEE

Resource Efficient Advanced Metering Infrastructure Model

Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) enables two-way communication between smart devices and utility control centers. This involves remote monitoring and control of energy consumption as well as other parameters in the electrical power network in real time. However, increasing technologies in AMI due to huge deployment of smart meters, integration of devices and application of sensors, demand a strong architectural model with the best network topology to guarantee efficient usage of network resources with minimal latency. In this work, a resource efficient multi-hop network architecture is proposed using hybrid media access protocols. The architecture combines queuing and random-access protocol to achieve optimal network performance. Numerical results show that the probability of delay incurred by an arbitrary smart meter depends on the mean and distribution of the queue switch over a period. It is also observed that for a single queued system, the throughput performance is equal to the existing hybrid method. As the number of smart meters increases to 500, the throughput of the proposed method improves by 10% compared to the existing method. Likewise, as the number of smart meters increases to 500, the delay reduced by 15% compared to the existing method. Keywords: Advanced Metering Infrastructure; hybrid media access protocols; Smart Meter; Smart Grid; Power Network

A survey on smart grid communication infrastructures: Motivations, requirements and challenges

A communication infrastructure is an essential part to the success of the emerging smart grid. A scalable and pervasive communication infrastructure is crucial in both construction and operation of a smart grid. In this paper, we present the background and motivation of communication infrastructures in smart grid systems. We also summarize major requirements that smart grid communications must meet. From the experience of several industrial trials on smart grid with communication infrastructures, we expect that the traditional carbon fuel based power plants can cooperate with emerging distributed renewable energy such as wind, solar, etc, to reduce the carbon fuel consumption and consequent green house gas such as carbon dioxide emission. The consumers can minimize their expense on energy by adjusting their intelligent home appliance operations to avoid the peak hours and utilize the renewable energy instead. We further explore the challenges for a communication infrastructure as the part of a complex smart grid system. Since a smart grid system might have over millions of consumers and devices, the demand of its reliability and security is extremely critical. Through a communication infrastructure, a smart grid can improve power reliability and quality to eliminate electricity blackout. Security is a challenging issue since the on-going smart grid systems facing increasing vulnerabilities as more and more automation, remote monitoring/controlling and supervision entities are interconnected. © 1998-2012 IEEE

Smart Energy Meter : Monitoring Konsumsi Energi Listrik Berbasis Iot

Manajemen konsumsi energi listrik bertujuan untuk efesiensi penggunaan peralatan listrik. Oleh karena itu, smart energy meter dibutuhkan untuk memonitoring penggunaan energi listrik dalam memanejemen konsumsi energi listrik. Metode yang digunakan yaitu berbasis pada jaringan internet dengan memanfaatkan platform IoT Blynk untuk menampilkan hasil pengukuran energi listrik. NodeMCU ESP8266 berfungsi sebagai perangkat  mikrokontroler yang mengambil data dari sensor energi PZEM-004T kemudian mengkoneksikan dan mengirimkan data pada smartphone melalui jaringan WiFi. Hasil Pengujian yang dilakukan pengukuran selama 2247 detik dengan beban kipas angin berdasarkan perubahan kecepatan. Smart energy meter berfungsi dengan baik dan mampu mendeteksi terjadinya perubahan beban berdasarkan variable tegangan, arus, daya dan energy. Tegangan rata- rata yang di peroleh yaitu 225 V dengan arus sebesar 0,16 A untuk beban dengan kecepatan sedang dan arus sebesar 0,18 A untuk beban dengan kecepatan maksimal, Daya maksimum yaitu 40,1 W pada saat beban maksimal. Sedangkan konsumsi energi selama pengujian yaitu sebesar 0,04 kWh

A Survey on Virtualization of Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are gaining tremendous importance thanks to their broad range of commercial applications such as in smart home automation, health-care and industrial automation. In these applications multi-vendor and heterogeneous sensor nodes are deployed. Due to strict administrative control over the specific WSN domains, communication barriers, conflicting goals and the economic interests of different WSN sensor node vendors, it is difficult to introduce a large scale federated WSN. By allowing heterogeneous sensor nodes in WSNs to coexist on a shared physical sensor substrate, virtualization in sensor network may provide flexibility, cost effective solutions, promote diversity, ensure security and increase manageability. This paper surveys the novel approach of using the large scale federated WSN resources in a sensor virtualization environment. Our focus in this paper is to introduce a few design goals, the challenges and opportunities of research in the field of sensor network virtualization as well as to illustrate a current status of research in this field. This paper also presents a wide array of state-of-the art projects related to sensor network virtualization

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